SIMON Eastwood saved a penalty but Oxford United could not take late chances to win the game against Northampton Town as they lost ground on the Sky Bet League One play-off places.

The United goalkeeper dived to his left to keep out Matt Taylor’s 51st-minute spot-kick.

Michael Appleton’s side found turning possession into clear chances difficult at a blustery Sixfields, but came mightily close to nicking a late winner.

Joe Rothwell saw a shot turned on to the crossbar by goalkeeper Adam Smith, who also came up trumps for the Cobblers to deny Kane Hemmings from close range.

The result ended Northampton’s three-game winning run against the U’s, who drew for the first time in 2017.

A clean sheet was also welcome, but the U’s are now seven points adrift of sixth place with only seven games remaining.

John Lundstram recovered from a dead leg to start, but United’s four changes included Chris Maguire dropping out of the squad altogether with a groin injury.

The Sixfields playing surface was superb, but conditions were made tricky by a blustery wind.

The clearest chance of the first half came after just four minutes, where a Marc Richards flick left United unbalanced.

Keshi Anderson raced clear to lead a three-on-two attack, but let the visitors off the hook by shooting greedily at Eastwood.

The dangerous Richards, who had struck the winner in the last two meetings, then flicked a header on to the roof of the net from David Buchanan’s 14th-minute cross.

United selected a narrow midfield to avoid getting outnumbered by Northampton’s diamond, just like last weekend’s clash with Scunthorpe United.

Unlike the game a week earlier, they were quick to find full backs Phil Edwards and Marvin Johnson, who provided the width.

They saw plenty of the ball, but the 1,400 fans in the away end saw precious little goalmouth action from their side.

Oxford Mail:

  • Liam Sercombe comes close with a lob

It took until midway through the half for them to muster any sort of effort on goal, when Conor McAleny shot wide from 25 yards.

Northampton had more sights of goal, but never troubled Eastwood.

After Taylor’s free-kick hit the wall and went wide, Zander Diamond headed the resulting corner over.

As the half went on United began to gain ground, although getting in behind Northampton’s back four when playing into the breeze proved beyond them.

McAleny worried goalkeeper Adam Smith with a curling effort a whisker wide of the far post on the half-hour mark following good work by Lundstram and Johnson.

Edwards forced the Cobblers No 1 into a regulation save late in the half, but a far clearer chance arrived early in the second half.

United moved the ball well to carve out a chance for Liam Sercombe, who did not get hold of his shot eight yards out.

Northampton promptly went up the other end, where Paul Anderson’s surge into the box was halted when he was brought down by Eastwood.

Taylor took on the penalty duties, but his shot was turned on to the woodwork by Eastwood and bounced clear.

United sought to make the most of the reprieve and went on to take the game to their hosts.

Neat football saw them probe repeatedly around the Cobblers box, but a succession of players in yellow seemed reluctant to pull the trigger.

The hosts defended well, but midway through the half a weak punch by Adam Smith fell to Sercombe, whose lob fell into the relieved goalkeeper’s arms.

As the game went on it increasingly looked like one goal would be enough to win it.

United came agonisingly close to getting themselves in front ten minutes from time, when Rothwell’s curling shot from 18 yards was tipped on to the crossbar by Adam Smith.

They forged another clear opening six minutes later.

Johnson’s low cross fell for substitute Kane Hemmings six yards out, who should have scored but did not make clean contact and the goalkeeper again made the save.

It was their last clear opening, as the game finished all square.

Northampton Tn (4-4-2): A Smith, Phillips (Moloney 74), Diamond, Nyatanga, Buchanan, P Anderson, McCourt (Wylde 62), Taylor, K Anderson (Boateng 55), Richards, M Smith.

Unused subs: Cornell, Beautyman, McWilliams, McDonald.

Booked: McCourt, P Anderson.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Eastwood, Edwards, Nelson, Dunkley, Johnson, Sercombe, Lundstram, Ruffels, Rothwell, McAleny, Martinez.

Subs used: Hemmings (Martinez 55), Hall (McAleny 71), Skarz (Ruffels 84).

Unused subs: Stevens, Raglan, Long, Ribeiro.

Booked: Lundstram, Martinez.

Referee: Michael Jones (Cheshire).

Attendance: 7,434 (1,399 visitors).