Cambridge United came away from playoff chasing Oxford with a point after an entertaining fixture at The Kassam. Both sides had opportunities to win the match with Danny Crow and Scott Neilson both hitting the frame of the goal, but the 235 travelling fans will go home pleased with the battling qualities that saw their side keep a clean sheet.

Martin Ling was able to welcome four players back into the starting line-up after they missed Saturday's late defeat at Salisbury. Captain Paul Carden, top scorer Danny Crow and defenders Brian Saah returned to the starting eleven, with Jai Reason, Sam Ives, Blaine Hudson and Adam Marriott dropping out.

Both sides looked to play attacking football as the match got underway, with Brian Saah having to force Matt Green off the ball before Scott Neilson was quickly closed down as the ball looked to fall to him inside the penalty box. Neilson spent the first half on the left wing with Simon Russell out on the right.

A quarter of an hour into the game United came within inches of taking the lead as Nielsen again had an effort on goal following Russell's corner, but the winger's prodded effort from six yards came back off Ryan Clarke's right post having beaten the nearest defender. Only moments later Oxford looked to break but Brian Saah again stopped Matt Green with a fine challenge.

Oxford were presented with a real chance on the half hour when Adam Chapman found himself free at the back post from Francis Green's cross on the right, but United were indebted to Simon Brown in goal as the keeper pawed the ball away as it looked set to bounce into the top corner.

The hosts continued to have the better of the play as the half drew to a close and Martin Ling's side had Josh Coulson to thank for a perfectly timed challenge to once again stop Green when it looked like he was about to get free inside the box. Despite seeing little of the ball in the closing stages United could have taken the lead just prior to half time as Simon Russell carried the ball fifty yards on the break before teeing Neilson, who was just forced too wide to try and effort on goal. One additional minute was played before an entertaining but goalless half came to an end.

United wasted a chance to test Ryan Clarke early in the second period as Scott Neilson dragged a shot backwards, before twice the visitors came close to opening the scoring. Neilson's freekick from just outside the box flashed just wide of the post before Danny Crow was gifted possession cheaply and the top scoring striker blasted an effort onto the top of the crossbar.

This prompted Oxford into action and their own top scorer James Constable found himself free on the right of the penalty area before firing across goal and wide, before Matt Green smashed just over from twelve yards. After Sam Deering replaced Simon Clist for the hosts, Green again went close in fortuitous circumstances. As Josh Coulson kicked air the ball hit the striker at close range and went just wide of Brown's goal.

Neilson again came close for United after super work on the flank by Lee Phillips, but the Bradford loanee was quickly closed down to prevent an initial effort and the ensuing rebound. Oxford immediately broke again and with Simon Brown finally taken out by a cross across goal Coulson hacked for safety from underneath his own crossbar.

Former Histon striker Jack Midson made his way on to replace Matt Green, before Adam Marriott and Calum Willock replaced Lee Phillips and Danny Crow and for United. Willock immediately won a corner which was punched to safety by Clarke, before Constable again had a chance which he drilled wide when a ball fell to him outside the box.

As Oxford pressed forward with time running out, tempers frayed after a few heavy tackles. McAuley was booked after the Oxford players surrounded the referee before Brian Saah conceded a freekick which was somehow hacked clear from close in once again. That was the last of the action, and the boos that greeted the home side at the final whistle was a testament to the battling qualities from Martin Ling's side.

Man of the Match: Simon Russell. Despite United failing to score, almost every chance they created went through the winger. Both centre halves were imperative to the clean sheet, but the York loanee yet again proved his credentials as a "must-buy" player on Martin Ling's summer shopping list. Brian Saah and Josh Coulson should also take enormous credit for ensuring a clean sheet under considerable pressure from a side fighting for the Football League.

Full minute-by-minute report below.

Reporting by Matt Ramsay

19.30 Evening everyone and welcome to The Kassam Stadium for tonight's league fixture between Oxford United and Cambridge United. The last time Martin Ling was here as a manager his Orient side secured promotion from League Two in what was Oxford's last ever Football League game.

Martin Ling is boosted by the returns of Danny Crow, Paul Carden, Brian Saah and Dan Gleeson to the starting eleven. Rory McAuley moves up to midfield, with Sam Ives, Jai Reason, Adam Marriott and Saturday's goalscorer Blaine Hudson dropping out. Former U Anthony Tonkin misses out for Oxford.

Team News.

Oxford. Ryan Clarke; Damian Batt, Kevin Sandwith, Mark Creighton, Jake Wright; Dannie Bulman, Adam Chapman, Simon Clist; James Constable (c), Francis Green, Matt Green.

Subs. Billy Turley, Jack Midson, Rhys Day, Lewis Chambers, Sam Deering.

CUFC. Simon Brown; Dan Gleeson, Aiden Palmer, Josh Coulson, Brian Saah; Rory McAuley, Paul Carden (c), Simon Russell, Scott Neilson; Danny Crow, Lee Phillips.

Subs. Danny Potter, Antonio Murray, Jai Reason, Adam Marriott, Calum Willock.

19.40 The Oxford ground is always a slightly unusual sight, with three massive stands and then a car park behind one goal. The sprinklers have been turned off, the teams can't be far away.

19.41 Jez George and co were here early today for a press conference to mark the combined effort of these two clubs (and other former Football League sides) in their bid to earn Football Association funding for their youth schemes. A sign of the strength of the club's youth set-up was shown on Saturday when seven of the squad of sixteen against Salisbury City were Cambridge United graduates.

19.44 The sides are out, United in their soon-to-be-defunct blue away strip, while Oxford line up in their traditional yellow.

19.47 United get us underway, shooting away from the car park in the first half.

19.49 Oxford use the width of the pitch well and a chipped ball in almost finds Matt Green, who is bundled over fairly by Brian Saah. United go up the other end and Lee Phillips wins a corner.

19.51 An early opening for United as the ball falls to Scott Neilson from a flick on, but it bounces too high for him and his effort is charged down. Neilson's started on the left wing with Simon Russell on the right.

19.55 A well worked move from United sees Danny Crow spread a splendid pass through to the right wing for Simon Russell, and the winger just keeps the ball in. Dan Gleeson offers support and finds Lee Phillips, whose cross just evades a slipping Scott Neilson.

19.57 Oxford win a corner as Adam Chapman sees his well struck effort go just wide via a deflection. United clear the danger as the same player takes the set piece.

20.02 United are trying to be a little too intricate in the middle of the park and are nearly made to pay as a misplaced pass before the offside flag goes up against James Constable.

20.03 A lovely backheel by Dan Gleeson gives him a run to the byeline and he wins a corner, from which United go agonisingly close to opening the scoring. The Oxford defence doesn't react to a header on and Scott Neilson prods the ball past a man on the line but onto the post.

20.05 United are indebted to Brian Saah for a well timed challenge on Matt Green as he slips past the defence. Simon Brown makes a good claim from the ensuing corner.

20.09 Irritation for United as play goes on despite Dan Gleeson coming off second best from a meaty tackle in the middle of the park, and Josh Coulson needs to be alert to hook the ball clear as James Constable looks to knock the ball into the area Gleeson had vacated.

20.12 Neat passing from Oxford ends with Chapman shooting opportunistically from thirty yards, but Brown watches the ball wide.

20.14 Danny Crow is the latest United player to need treatment as he's caught late by Kevin Sandwith. He's OK, as is Gleeson, but United need to be careful as they're two of the players who are only just coming back from injury.

20.17 Oxford's first real chance of the match falls to Adam Chapman as Oxford utilise an extra man at the back post to meet a right wing cross with a downward volley which is well saved by Simon Brown, who has to reach up and fingertip the ball away.

20.20 Oxford look to turn the screw as United's midfield appears to drop deeper and deeper, but both sides are giving the ball away on a too-regular basis. Dan Gleeson brings the ball away and his cross is well headed clear.

20.23 United are having balls lofted down their flanks far too often, but Josh Coulson covers with an excellent challenge as Francis Green looks set to break clear on the right.

20.28 It's Dannie Bulman's turn to catch Danny Crow, and from the freekick Paul Carden attempts a Hatswell-esque forty yard spank, which flies miles over in an un-Hatswell-like manner.

20.29 Simon Russell bursts forward with a splendid run from thirty yards from his own goal, over half way and to forty yards from goal before feeding Scott Neilson, who just miscontrols the ball but is still able to win a corner.

20.32 We're into a solitary additional minute at the end of the half. Jake Wright passes the ball out for a throw in when there would have been plenty of space on the wing if the pass had come off.

20.34 That's half time, no goals but an entertaining game so far.

HALF TIME Oxford United 0-0 CUFC.

20.50 The sides are back out and the United fans will have their side shooting towards the goal nearest their fans. Oxford kick off and we're underway.

20.51 United work the ball well early on and should have at least worked the keeper but Scott Neilson's shot turns into a cross and Simon Russell's effort flashes well over. Danny Crow goes into the book for saying something the referee has taken exception to.

20.54 Rory McAuley strides forward from midfield and draws a foul twenty-five yards out, in an almost completely central position. Danny Crow's effort is blocked by the wall but his second effort is clearly blocked by a raised hand. United have the same situation again a few yards closer to goal. Scott Neilson's placed effort goes a whisker wide of the keeper's right hand post.

20.57 Oxford gift possession to Danny Crow in the Oxford half and the U's striker runs straight at goal before firing an effort which hits the top of the crossbar before going over.

21.00 Oxford suddenly find space on the right and James Constable bears down on goal before shooting well wide, although Dan Gleeson has to take evasive action to prevent turning the ball into his own net. Tonight's attendance is 5219, the second largest crowd CUFC have played in front of this season.

21.01 Another chance for Oxford as the ball falls for Matt Green. The striker smashes his effort marginally over with Brown struggling.

21.04 A careless trip from Aiden Palmer presents Oxford with a freekick out wide only ten yards from goal, but an attempted pull-back freekick is well read by Josh Coulson.

21.07 Oxford make the first change of the evening. Simon Clist goes off, to be replaced by youth graduate Sam Deering. Matt Green nearly inadvertently scores for Oxford as Josh Coulson air-kicks a cross and the ball rebounds off the striker and wide.

21.10 It's Oxford's turn to have a spell of pressure. Deering's first touch is to delightfully pluck a high ball out of the sky before teeing up Constable, who scuffs wide.

21.12 Danny Crow chases a loose ball before Mark Creighton boots the ball into the car park, to the amusement of most and the presumed annoyance of the owner of a silver Vauxhall Astra.

21.13 It's not happening in front of goal for Scott Neilson tonight. Lee Phillips does brilliantly to get the byeline before pulling the ball back to the winger who sees two efforts blocked. Oxford break immediately and Josh Coulson hack a cross away from under the crossbar with Brown out of the picture.

21.14 Matt Green makes way for Jack Midson.

21.19 After Constable is caught offside twice in quick succession, the flag stays down on the third occasion before Jake Wright smashes a ball several miles off target. Play stops for treatment to Chapman for what looked like an elbow from Rory McAuley when going up for a challenge.

21.21 Constable looks to run onto a flick, but once again a United defender is on hand. Brian Saah this time clears to touch with a fine challenge.

21.23 United change things for the first time as they replace their two strikers. Crow and Phillips go off, with Adam Marriott and Calum Willock coming on. Eleven minutes remain.