KEMAR Roofe poached a winner from close range as Oxford United recovered from conceding an awful goal to claim a precious three points.

The United forward was in the right place to convert a rebound from a corner 19 minutes from time.

It was the least the visitors deserved after playing some excellent football, particularly in the first half, when Danny Hylton opened the scoring.

But they had to rally after gifting a cheap equaliser to Rhys Turner, who profited from a mix-up between Jake Wright and Sam Slocombe.

Nonetheless there was plenty of encouragement to take from the result, which kept them sixth in Sky Bet League Two.

United's XI was unchanged, with new signing Jordan Graham on the bench in place of James Roberts, who is heading to Chester on loan.

Michael Appleton's men struggled in the final third during Saturday's goalless draw with Morecambe, but looked threatening from the first whistle.

George Baldock opened up the City defence on five minutes when he swapped passes with Callum O'Dowda and crossed low for Danny Rose, whose shot was deflected off target.

The reprieve was only brief, with United opening the scoring in the ninth minute. Liam Sercombe slipped in Hylton, who calmly rounded goalkeeper Scott Flinders and slotted home his fifth goal of the season.

United looked in the mood for more and York struggled to cope as their opponents went through the gears.

The visitors appeared to have a shoot on sight policy and Flinders saved from Hylton, Sercombe and Danny Rose in quick succession.

City's supporters quickly grew frustrated at their side's inability to get out of their half.

At the other end, U's goalkeeper Sam Slocombe was not stretched until late in the half, when he saved Russell Penn's header.

But a minute later City were gifted the softest of equalisers.

A through ball looked innocuous, but a breakdown in communication at the back saw Wright appear to slip and prod the ball past Slocombe.

Turner could not believe his luck, running on to the loose ball and scoring in the empty net.

If the United No 1 had a hand in the goal, he helped make amends with an excellent save two minutes into the second half to parry a volley from James Berrett.

The visitors took time to reassert themselves, but came back strongly after the hour mark. Flinders saved a free-kick from Roofe, who twice curled shots inches wide in quick succession.

The pressure was growing and there was no surprise when the goal came, on 71 minutes, it was via United's top scorer.

Roofe has made his name with spectacular strikes, but here he bundled in from a yard after Flinders blocked a shot from Johnny Mullins at a corner.

York pushed men forward in search of another equaliser and substitute Anthony Straker almost delivered with a shot which just missed the target.

United had another heart-stopping moment when a cross hit Joe Skarz's hand, but after considering it for several seconds referee David Webb shook his head.

It was the last tense moment as four minutes of stoppage time passed without any problem, as United got back on track.

York City (3-5-2): Flinders, Lowe, Winfield, Ilesanmi, McCoy, Berrett, Penn, Godfrey, Carson (Straker 57), Turner, Thompson. Unused subs: Ingham, Hare, Platt, McCombe, Rzonca, Tutonda. Booked: None.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Slocombe, Baldock, Mullins, Wright , Skarz, O'Dowda, Sercombe, Lundstram, Rose, Hylton, Roofe. Subs used: Graham (Lundstram 71), Taylor (Roofe 80) Unused subs: Buchel, Dunkley, Ruffels, MacDonald, Hoban. Booked: None.

Referee: David Webb (County Durham).

Attendance: 2,791 (318 visitors).