Oxford got back to winning ways with an impressive win against Rushden & Diamonds.

Oxford's last win came in the reverse fixture on 28 December and they completed the league double over the visitors as they met again.

Chances were few and far between in the first half but Oxford raced from the blocks after the break and soon broke the deadlock.

Barry Hunter was adjudged to have fouled Steve Basham in the area and Andy Crosby kept his cool to place his penalty in the top right corner of the net after 51 minutes.

Rushden pressed for an equaliser but their hopes were killed off as David Savage suddenly found goalscoring form.

The midfielder's only goal of the season had come in the victory at Rushden and he doubled Oxford's lead after 84 minutes when he headed home from Matthew Robinson's cross.

He then pounced again to inflict further misery on the visitors when he turned home Andy Scott's cross three minutes later.

Oxford Utd: Woodman, Crosby, Bound, Edwards, McNiven, Savage, Hunt, Hunter, Robinson, Scott, Basham. Subs: Whitehead, Oldfield, Steele, Louis, Hackett.

Rushden & Diamonds: Turley, Bignot, Hunter, Peters, Underwood, Bell, Burgess, Sambrook, Gray, Hall, Lowe. Subs: Mills, Setchell, Talbot, Duffy, Dempster.

Referee: P Crossley (Kent)