Oxford beat Northampton to get back to winning ways and leave the Cobblers analysing a fifth successive loss.
The U's led when Alfie Potter fired home James Constable's cross from eight yards out, but Northampton levelled from Leon McKenzie's powerful header.
Oxford regained the lead on the stroke of half-time when Josh Payne curled home a 25-yard free-kick.
And they got a third when John Johnson was sent off for fouling Simon Clist and Tom Craddock scored the penalty.
Northampton Town manager Ian Sampson tells BBC Radio Northampton: "It's a poor result. I was proud of the lads today, they gave me everything and got back into the game.
"If they keep performing like that, and keep grafting, things will turn.
"If I wasn't worried, I wouldn't be human. I don't want to lose my job and I'm confident we can turn things around."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Npower League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Oxford Utd
3-1
Northampton
FT
(HT 2-1)
Potter 4
Payne 45
Craddock (pen) 90+3
McKenzie 16
Oxford Utd
01 Clarke
03 Tonkin
06 Wright
22 Worley (Creighton 66)
23 Purkiss
08 Heslop
14 Hall (Clist 83)
28 Payne
09 Constable (Green 83)
15 Potter
29 Craddock
Substitutes
21 Eastwood,
02 Batt,
05 Creighton,
11 Clist,
19 Baker,
10 Midson,
24 Green
Northampton
01 Dunn
02 Rodgers
03 Hall yellow card
14 Johnson red card
04 Thornton
07 Gilligan
12 Wedderburn
17 Jacobs (Holt 59)
23 Davis yellow card
16 McKay
18 McKenzie
Substitutes
13 Walker,
05 Hinton,
11 Holt,
21 Slowe,
09 Guinan,
19 Konstantinou,
20 Harris
Ref: TierneyAtt: 7,647
OXFORD UTD
NORTHAMPTON
Possession
Oxford Utd42%
Northampton58%
Attempts on target
Oxford Utd2
Northampton1
Attempts off target
Oxford Utd5
Northampton7
Corners
Oxford Utd5
Northampton6
Fouls
Oxford Utd11
Northampton11
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:20 The referee ends the match.
90:00+3:38 Ryan Gilligan takes a shot. Save by Ryan Clarke.
90:00+2:25 Unfair challenge on Simon Clist by John Johnson results in a Penalty.
90:00+2:25 GOAL - Tom Craddock:Oxford Utd 3 - 1 Northampton Penalty scored by Tom Craddock. Oxford Utd 3-1 Northampton.
90:00+0:23 Sent off The referee shows John Johnson a red card.
88:26 Liam Davis produces a left-footed shot from just outside the area that goes harmlessly over the bar. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Ryan Gilligan, clearance made by Matthew Green.
87:44 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Simon Clist by John Johnson. Free kick taken by Ryan Clarke.
86:06 Corner taken left-footed by Kevin Thornton from the right by-line, John Johnson produces a header from inside the area that goes over the bar.
84:10 Corner taken by Kevin Thornton, Leon McKenzie gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ryan Clarke. Direct free kick taken by Ryan Clarke.
82:29 Substitution Matthew Green joins the action as a substitute, replacing James Constable.
82:29 Substitution Asa Hall leaves the field to be replaced by Simon Clist.
81:58 Josh Payne produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.
80:05 Marcus Hall challenges James Constable unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Josh Payne.
78:15 Foul by Liam Davis on Mark Creighton, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Ryan Clarke.
77:30 The assistant referee flags for offside against Tom Craddock. Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
77:01 Handball decision goes against Kevin Thornton. Anthony Tonkin takes the direct free kick.
75:07 The ball is swung over by Tom Craddock, Chris Dunn makes a save.
71:44 A cross is delivered by James Constable, clearance by Liam Davis.
67:06 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Kevin Thornton, Josh Payne manages to make a clearance.
65:54 Substitution (Oxford Utd) makes a substitution, with Mark Creighton coming on for Harry Worley.
64:07 Unfair challenge on Marcus Hall by James Constable results in a free kick. Chris Dunn takes the free kick.
60:51 The referee blows for offside. Free kick crossed left-footed by Ryan Clarke from own half, clearance made by Marcus Hall.
58:57 Substitution Andrew Holt is brought on as a substitute for Michael Jacobs.
53:13 Unfair challenge on Paul Rodgers by Anthony Tonkin results in a free kick. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Kevin Thornton.
52:03 The offside flag is raised against Leon McKenzie. Indirect free kick taken by Ryan Clarke.
50:23 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Tom Craddock by Paul Rodgers. Josh Payne restarts play with the free kick.
49:21 Michael Jacobs has a shot on goal from outside the area which misses right.
47:38 The ball is sent over by Ben Purkiss, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by James Constable misses to the left of the goal.
46:40 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Paul Rodgers by Tom Craddock. Kevin Thornton restarts play with the free kick.
45:01 The match restarts for the second half.
Half Time
45:00+3:19 It is the end of the first-half.
45:00+2:52 Harry Worley concedes a free kick for a foul on Leon McKenzie. Kevin Thornton restarts play with the free kick.
45:00+1:25 Foul by Marcus Hall on James Constable, free kick awarded. Simon Heslop restarts play with the free kick.
45:00+1:25 Booking The referee books Marcus Hall for unsporting behaviour.
44:30 James Constable fouled by Billy Mckay, the ref awards a free kick.
44:30 GOAL - Josh Payne:Oxford Utd 2 - 1 Northampton Josh Payne fires in a goal from outside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Oxford Utd 2-1 Northampton.
42:43 Leon McKenzie fouled by Asa Hall, the ref awards a free kick. Paul Rodgers restarts play with the free kick.
41:38 The assistant referee signals for offside against Tom Craddock. Indirect free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
40:49 The ball is sent over by Ben Purkiss, save made by Chris Dunn.
36:30 Kevin Thornton concedes a free kick for a foul on Alfie Potter. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Anthony Tonkin from right channel, clearance by Chris Dunn. Corner taken left-footed by Anthony Tonkin from the left by-line, Simon Heslop produces a left-footed shot from 35 yards and missed to the left of the target.
35:03 Effort on goal by Ben Purkiss from just inside the area clears the bar.
33:48 Short corner taken by Michael Jacobs.
30:11 Free kick awarded for a foul by Liam Davis on Alfie Potter. Anthony Tonkin takes the direct free kick. Inswinging corner taken by Simon Heslop from the left by-line. Simon Heslop takes a corner.
30:11 Booking Liam Davis is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
28:29 The ball is swung over by Leon McKenzie, Asa Hall makes a clearance.
25:22 Billy Mckay gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Anthony Tonkin. Josh Payne produces a shot on goal direct from the free kick. Corner taken right-footed by Simon Heslop, Leon McKenzie fouled by Harry Worley, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
24:34 Alfie Potter crosses the ball, clearance made by Marcus Hall.
23:39 Nathaniel Wedderburn fouled by Asa Hall, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Kevin Thornton.
23:14 Tom Craddock is caught offside. Chris Dunn takes the free kick.
22:23 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Michael Jacobs, clearance by James Constable.
20:02 Simon Heslop gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nathaniel Wedderburn. Michael Jacobs delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing, Jake Wright manages to make a clearance.
18:25 Asa Hall concedes a free kick for a foul on Kevin Thornton. Direct free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
17:47 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Simon Heslop, clearance by John Johnson.
15:54 Liam Davis delivers the ball, assist by Liam Davis.
15:54 GOAL - Leon McKenzie:Oxford Utd 1 - 1 Northampton Leon McKenzie finds the back of the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Oxford Utd 1-1 Northampton.
15:05 Ben Purkiss produces a cross, clearance made by Billy Mckay.
14:20 The official flags Leon McKenzie offside. Indirect free kick taken by Ryan Clarke.
10:09 Unfair challenge on Liam Davis by Simon Heslop results in a free kick. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Liam Davis, clearance by Ryan Clarke.
9:29 Billy Mckay produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the left of the goal.
8:07 Ryan Gilligan produces a cross, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Michael Jacobs goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
6:34 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kevin Thornton by Josh Payne. Shot comes in from Kevin Thornton from the free kick,
3:36 Assist by James Constable.
3:36 GOAL - Alfie Potter:Oxford Utd 1 - 0 Northampton Goal scored by Alfie Potter from inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Oxford Utd 1-0 Northampton.
0:42 The offside flag is raised against Michael Jacobs. Ryan Clarke takes the free kick.
0:00 The referee gets the game underway.
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