Oxford United are starting to make their home a fortress again.

Saturday's 2-1 victory over Burton Albion was their third good win in a row over promotion-chasing sides at the Kassam Stadium, and the ground is beginning to get a reputation for being a hard place for visiting teams to come.

If the U's can only sort out their away form, they look capable of rocketing up the Blue Square Premier table.

Goals early in each half from Phil Trainer and fit-again striker James Constable, from the penalty spot, did the trick against Nigel Clough's Burton, though United inevitably gave their supporters a few nervous moments at the end by conceding an 89th-minute goal at a free-kick.

Manager Darren Patterson was delighted with the victory, as his players bounced back from their Altrincham disappointment, but he was annoyed that they again couldn't hold out for a clean sheet.

"This has lifted us all again," Patterson said.

"We're that far off – I just think we need to do the uglier side a bit better, like killing the game off and slowing it up and keeping the ball better, and we're definitely short of a couple of squad members.

"We've got to start consistently scoring goals, but at least we're now doing that at home.

"We played some very good football again and could have scored a few more goals against what, it's got to be said, is a very good side."

But he added: "I'm really, really disappointed we didn't keep a clean sheet, it's starting to grate on me.

"Some people may say you're nit-picking, but we're not. It's all about standards and about doing the right thing for 90 minutes, and habit-forming.

"If we can keep clean sheets here we'll definitely win games because of what we've got going forward."

When Trainer volleyed home, it meant he had scored United's last three goals, until Constable bagged his fifth of the season after being tripped in the box.

"Phil's was a good goal," Patterson said.

"You've got to give their defender credit for a great block because Lewis Haldane's shot looked on target.

"But Lewis then put a great ball in and Phil followed up very, very well.

"James Constable made a difference to us. If he had played for us at Altrincham, we'd have won that game."

One of the most encouraging aspects of United's win was an excellent debut from 20-year-old Sam Deering.