Walsall 3, Oxford Utd 2

Oxford United are still searching for their first League win of the season after going down at the Bescot Stadium last night, writes Jon Murray.

Despite leading 1-0 and 2-1, the second division's bottom team succumbed to table-topping Walsall's incessant pressure and were beaten for the fifth league match in a row.

Four of those defeats have now come at the start of this campaign making it one of the club's worst ever starts to a season.

Joey Beauchamp for Matt Murphy was the only change to the side beaten at home by Brentford at the weekend, but there was a change in the formation with United playing a 5-4-1, rather than with two strikers, leaving Steve Anthrobus up front on his own. The idea was to get the midfielders making breaks and supporting runs, and Beauchamp did just that in the third minute, with many spectators not yet settled into their seats.

Collecting the ball 45 yards out, he just ran with it, jinking between Walsall's two centre halves before striking a beautifully-placed shot to the right of keeper Jimmy Walker's right hand.

In typical fashion, he did a celebration victory slide towards the Oxford fans behind the goal.

It was the team's first league goal of the season.

But such an early setback spurred Walsall and their fans, and Ray Graydon's top-of-the-table team applied fierce pressure for the next few minutes.

Paul Tait was unlucky to give away a free-kick for handball when he charged down a clearance and from the free-kick, Portuguese player Jorg Leitao drilled in a shot which Jon Shepheard managed to clear for a corner. With 15 minutes gone, Walsall levelled. Darren Byfield headed against a post and moments later, Paul Hall, on the right edge of the box, drove in a shot which Richard Knight beat away. But it went straight back to Hall, who this time drilled the ball back into the net.

The Saddlers' Hungarian international Gabor Bukran burst through but Paul Powell came across to hack away his pull-back.

United were not totally on the defensive, however, looking dangerous as they broke in numbers and with Manny Omoyinmi several times getting around left back Zigo Aranalde.

And it was from one of these threatening raids that they regained the lead. Ian Roper fouled Anthrobus on the very edge of the area, and in a central position, and all eyes were on Beauchamp again.

Lee Jarman back-heeled the free-kick and Beauchamp struck it low and hard. It took a slight deflection and flew into the net.

The crowd is very close to the pitch at Bescot and though the gates may not be the biggest in the division, Walsall's fans are among the most vociferous. And they played their part in getting John Robertson and then Tait booked just before half-time. Both were harsh, Robertson not making contact with anything as he went in hard for a 50-50 ball, and Tait getting fouled himself before reacting with disgust when the ref gave the award the other way.

The U's lost Powell early in the second half to a knee injury and Rob Folland replaced him at left wingback.

The home side continued to play at a high tempo, and continued creating chances aplenty.

Just before the hour mark, Leitao crashed a far-post header against the post from Ian Brightwell's cross.

Murphy replaced a tiring Whitehead, who had again been excellent, but midway through the second half Walsall capitalised on slack marking to make it 2-2.

Anthrobus gave away a needless foul near halfway and Walsall took the free-kick quickly, crossing for Darren Wrack to head across goal where Leitao rose to nod over Knight as the keeper came out. With eight minutes to go, Walsall scored the goal which won the match. Pedro Matias sent a corner to the near post and as Shepheard stumbled, substitute Brett Angell headed home.

As United pressed in the closing minutes, Derek Lilley almost scored direct from a corner, and when Walsall broke to the other end Knight pulled off a point-blank save from a header by Keates.

It was frantic, heart-stopping stuff. Oxford had fully played their part in a great game but for the fourth league game running ended it without a point.