REPORT BY BRIAN WALLER
The U's made it two wins out of two in this season's Alliance Cup group section as they won comfortably on their travels.

In probably their best display of the season to date, they halted a losing run of seven consecutive defeats in away games which stretched back to late March 2007.

Indeed you have to go back another month for their last win on the road, a 3-0 quarter final success at Northampton Town in this competition last season.

The match was played at the Brasenose College Sports Ground, and the line up showed just two changes from last week's win over Bristol Rovers, with Josh Oakley in the team and Jamie Wright on the bench, whilst Medy Elito returned to the squad, after his England duties in the recent U17s World Cup tournament. He was in for U16s squad member Jordan Lartey.

The opening quarter of an hour saw both sides contesting it well with a lot of good football played.

On 20 minutes, Perry Sansford was set up but shot wide. After Ben Griffiths defended well to halt a home attack, it was Jimmy Pirie to the fore, but he saw his shot well saved by the keeper.

With a half an hour gone, the home centre back was booked for a foul on Mitchell Nelson and with the two Colchester wingers Elito and Jeremiah Olusanya continuing to pose real problems with their pace down the flanks, it was most of the chances falling to the visitors.

The wide men swapped their flanks to keep the home defenders on their toes and when Pirie got through, he set up Sansford, but he fired over the bar.

A push by Nelson was not spotted by the referee and the U's were lucky not to concede the free kick in a dangerous area. Then it was Elito creating the opening for Sansford, but again Colchester were denied as the keeper made the save.

Then the move of the game saw some excellent build up play and some slick football played to create a goal worthy to win any match.

It was Jeremiah Olusanya initially in control of the action, he found Pirie. The ball was returned to the winger, and he superbly put the chance away, four minutes before half time.

Pirie then tried his luck but his snap shot went wide and in the hosts' best play of the match to date, keeper Jack Smelt excelled with a fine save, to keep his side in the lead.

That save proved crucial when, three minutes after half time, the U's got a rather fortunate second goal. Jimmy Pirie was up to head a cross, which then ricochet off a home player into their own goal.

A nasty injury saw Ben Griffiths carried off but fortunately he was able to return after some treatment.

The Oxford left back then received a lengthy lecture from the referee after one incident, but Mitchell Nelson was not so fortunate as he got a yellow card soon afterwards.

The game looked up for Oxford with just fifteen minutes left on the clock. It was Olusanya with the cross in, where Pirie intelligently allowed the ball to run for Josh Oakley to put away the third goal.

Late on the home side did exert a bit of pressure winning a couple of corners, but it was a dominant United team who finished the stronger and continued to look for further goals right until the end of the match.

With three minutes to go, a Pirie shot seemed to be sneaking in just inside the post, but at the last minute, the keeper flicked it around the post.

Then from a free kick just outside the box, Elito was firing it just wide. A fine win for the U's and a stern test awaits them next week, when they entertain local rivals Southend United.

Team: Jack Smelt, Nathan Speed, Ryan Amass, James Hammond, Ben Griffiths, Jeremiah Olusanya, Josh Oakley, Mitchell Nelson, Medy Elito, Jimmy Pirie and Perry Sansford

Used subs: Sam Corcoran, Jamie Wright and Russell Malton

Other cup results in the U's group were Bristol Rovers 2-4 Swindon Town, Southend United 0-0 Gillingham, Yeovil Town 2-3 Leyton Orient