Salisbury City

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Alfie Potter

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Oxford Utd 1-0 Salisbury

Oxford United returned to winning ways on Monday following defeats to Stevenage and Hayes & Yeading.

The dip in form has seen Chris Wilder's men fall out of contention for the Blue Square Premier title, but Alfie Potter's late strike ensured the Yellows picked up all three points against Salisbury at the Kassam Stadium.

An error from Whites goalkeeper James Bittner led to the first opening of the match when he failed to collect an Adam Chapman cross. The ball fell dangerously into the area but luckily for the visitors, Kevin Sandwith failed to latch onto the loose ball.

Jack Midson was handed a rare start by Wilder and Bittner atoned for his earlier mistake by pulling of a sharp save to deny the United frontman.

After the interval the home team came out firing and James Constable's slalom run saw him beat three markers. However, with the Salisbury backline at sixes and sevens, neither he nor Dannie Bulman fired a shot goalwards after a misunderstanding between the pair.

Salisbury's only real chance came from Matthew Tubbs but he fired his effort well over.

Wilder's introduction of Sam Deering on the right reignited Oxford and he set up Franny Green who saw his volley fly over the crossbar from a dozen yards out.

A few minutes later Bittner was called into action again, this time making a good save from Constable's low shot.

Substitute Potter then had the ball in the back of the net in the 84th minute when he buried the rebound from Chapman's drive. But the linesman ruled out the goal for offside.

One minute later Potter could not be denied as he headed Mark Creighton's flick-on past Bittner to grab the winner.

It was Oxford's second victory in nine fixtures, but it is a win that essentially guarantees their spot in the play-offs.

Oxford bookings: Creighton

Salisbury bookings: Tubbs, Ruddick

Att: 5,741

Ref: Michael Bull