Oxford United hopes its run of bad luck will end after the Bishop of Oxford lifted a gipsy curse from the Kassam Stadium.

It was thought that a curse was placed on the Minchery Farm site about five years ago before the club began building the £15m stadium.

The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev Richard Harries, has now exorcised evil from the ground, commanding the curse to go.

Oxford United's chaplain, the Rev Michael Chantry, asked him to cast out the curse while he blessed the pitch so weddings and other religious ceremonies could take place at the stadium.

Mr Chantry said the farmer who originally owned the land allowed gipsies to stay in return for helping him with harvesting and hay making.

When the field was sold to Oxford United, the gipsies were banned from using it and cast the curse.

Mr Chantry said: "I do know that sometimes, as written in the scriptures, people put curses on other people and this has to be taken seriously.

"You could just regard it as an old wives' tale, or you could take it seriously, but Oxford United's history of bad luck speaks for itself.

"There's nothing lost by having an exorcism and it's better to be safe than sorry. I am not saying all gipsies have malicious intentions, but it was best to bring in someone to lift the curse."

Since it was announced Minchery Farm would be developed as a football ground, Oxford United has had a catalogue of misfortune.

The land lay idle for three years, the club's owner Firoz Kassam experienced problems with landowners in the area, and this season the team has lost many of its games, despite being the stronger side.

Mr Chantry said: "The bishop sprin- kled holy water on part of the pitch where we were. He said a prayer of exorcism and blessed the new stadium.

"It is already licensed for weddings and we've had funerals with the scattering of ashes on the pitch.

"I think gipsies can put a curse on people or places, so I felt this exorcism was well worth doing. It was part of the bishop's pastoral duties. He is an enthusiastic supporter anyway and will be coming to the Swansea City game with his wife on January 12."

Since the exorcism on Friday, United have already seen a change in fortune, drawing 2-2 with York at home the following day.

The team managed to equalise twice as Jamie Brooks scored with a deflected shot and then with a lucky rebound off his leg. But United manager Mark Wright was not totally convinced the bad luck was over.

"Even though the curse is lifted because we scored two goals, so did they!" he said.