MARVIN Johnson savoured one of the best goals of his career which fired Oxford United one step from Wembley in the Checkatrade Trophy.

The 25-yard rocket, a first-time effort, proved to be the decisive goal in a 2-1 win in the rearranged quarter-final against Bradford City.

It came swiftly after Chris Maguire’s 53rd-minute penalty had opened the scoring, but Jordy Hiwula’s late header set up a tense finish.

The quality of Johnson’s strike deserved to be the match-winner though, and so it proved.

The 26-year-old said: “It was probably one of my best goals. I hit it cleanly and it ended up in the top corner, so I’m pleased.

“It came across me and I thought ‘let’s have a go here’. I was lucky enough for it to go in the back of the net.

“A lot of people write off this competition, but all the boys want it as much as a league game or the FA Cup.”

Maguire’s spot-kick ended a six-week wait for a goal and with a trip to the winner of the all-Sky Bet League Two quarter-final between Luton Town and Yeovil Town, he is well aware United will now be fancied to go all the way.

“We knew we had a good opportunity,” he said.

“We have probably been favourites in the competition, but we’ve come up against a good Bradford team who are flying high in the league.

“We’ve got this one out of the way and then it’s only one more game before we get back to Wembley again.”

Both United’s goals came while Bradford were down to ten men while Rory McArdle received treatment for a head injury.

Head coach Michael Appleton said: “It was almost like someone had got sin-binned in rugby. We took the opportunity and scored a couple of decent goals.

“I’m pleased we won without being at our best.”