Cambridge United came from behind to deny the Blue Square Premier's form side Oxford a sixth straight win, as Paul Carden's thunderbolt first goal for the U's warmed the shivering home crowd.

United's player-assistant manager (right) returned after missing two games with a hamstring problem and led by example with some crunching tackles after Gary Brabin's call for his men to "fight and scrap", then unleashed an unstoppable long-range strike midway through the second half to clinch a deserved point.

"Paul was outstanding today and he'd hit a couple earlier that he was unlucky with," said Brabin afterwards. "I fancied him to score today because he's been outstanding in training all week with his shooting, which has surprised a few of the lads.

"I thought we got at least what we deserved today," he added. "We played some good football and they're a good side, and we were expecting a tough game against them on the back of their five wins on the trot, so I don't think it's a bad result as long as we can kick on from that and start getting some wins away from home."

Oxford started like a house on fire and scored through Adam Murray in the ninth minute, and the U's boss admitted, "I wish we had started better in the first ten minutes, especially when they scored their goal, but I was made up with the character of the lads. We rolled our sleeves up, which I keep asking for from them, and that's the best we've played in front of the cameras."

United had chances to get back into the game in the first half, particularly a Danny Crow shot that hit the foot of the post and a Scott Rendell shot that went inches wide in first half stoppage time, and Gary revealed that at half-time he told his players to up their tempo in the second half.

"I felt Oxford were getting joy when things were central and I felt some of our better players - like Scott Rendell and Daryl McMahon - were wanting to get hold of the ball," he revealed. "So I told them to cut it down to one and two touches and get it wide as quickly as we can because that's where we were hurting them.

"They seemed to pack the middle of the park and try to swamp our middle players, and once we started doing that we caused them problems."

Both goalkeepers impressed, with Danny Potter standing firm against Oxford in the first half and Billy Turley making two superb saves after the break, and the U's boss paid tribute to Potter's contribution: "Pottsy's been brilliant and again he made some great saves.

"Oxford defended very well and packed the midfield and a couple of times they caught us on the break and Pottsy was there. You can trust him in those one v one situations all season long."

Asked about the referee, who seemed to let a lot of incidents go, particularly when Cambridge players were fouled, but then clamped down with three bookings for United players in the last five minutes, Brabin was careful with his comments.

"I was going to say 'under the conditions' - and I wasn't referring to the weather - I think we did very well.

"I was very disappointed with some of the decisions but I feel as though I'm saying that all the time. Scotty kept on batting and never let his head drop, and they packed that central area so it was hard for Crowy, Rendell, McMahon and even Carden, but in the end Cardy came up trumps."

United are next in action at Rushden & Diamonds on Sunday (1st February) at 3pm, and Gary concluded, "Oxford are a good side and I don't think that's a bad result if we can start taking some wins away from home. We want to put the Wrexham game behind us and there are a lot of pleasing points from this game.

"Obviously we wanted to take three points, but we've got a point against a very well-organised side and if we can go to Rushden on Sunday and get a win there it's been a good couple of days."

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