OXFORD United’s momentum was well and truly halted as two mad minutes proved fatal at AFC Wimbledon.

The U’s were leading when James Henry was sent off for handling on the line just after the hour mark, allowing Joe Pigott to equalise from the penalty spot.

Wimbledon won the ball from kick-off and Alex Woodyard struck to turn the tables, with ten-man United unable to produce a second late comeback in four days.

A meeting of two in-form teams was closely-fought from the first whistle and Josh Ruffels put the visitors ahead seven minutes after the break with his seventh goal of the season.

But the U’s could not hold their lead on their first visit to Plough Lane, as Wimbledon finally triumphed in the sides’ fourth meeting of the season.

More pressingly, it is a blow to United’s Sky Bet League One play-off hopes – if they were not already relying on other teams, they are now.

Brandon Barker’s hamstring problem saw him miss a second successive game, so Mide Shodipo kept his place on the left wing.

There was better news for Mark Sykes, who was fit enough to return in place of Anthony Forde, meaning Luke McNally dropped out of the 18.

Wimbledon had troubled United with their diamond formation in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day, but lined up in a more orthodox 4-4-2.

Both sides had won their last three matches and were full of confidence, with the contest played at a frantic pace from the start.

The U’s best opportunity of the first half came inside four minutes, but Henry was unable to beat Nik Tzanev at his near post after getting in behind the Wimbledon defence.

With neither side willing to give the other control it was an end-to-end game and there were crucial blocks and brave headers at both ends.

Henry split the defence eight minutes before the break, releasing the onrushing Sykes, but the midfielder went down after a nudge in the back and United’s penalty shouts were waved away.

Sam Long almost added another chapter to his fairytale season moments later when he almost beat Tzanev with an audacious 40-yard lob, only for the back-pedalling goalkeeper to tip over.

There was still time for George Dobson to force Jack Stevens to save down to his left, but the game was on a knife-edge when the teams went in at the interval.

Neither side had been able to break the deadlock, but United struck first seven minutes after half-time.

Sykes was forced wide as he raced onto a through ball, but he did not panic and laid the ball off to Shodipo.

The QPR loanee cut the ball back to Ruffels on the edge of the box and he placed a precise effort past the unsighted Tzanev into the far corner.

Cameron Brannagan then almost caught the goalkeeper from halfway, forcing him to tip over, but the game turned just after the hour mark.

Nesta Guinness-Walker won a corner down the left and the cross was whipped in dangerously, with Henry stopping the ball on the line with his hand.

Referee Andy Davies immediately brought out the red card and Stevens was unable to repeat his Boxing Day heroics against Wimbledon, as Pigott sent him the wrong way.

It went from bad to worse as the hosts won the ball straight from kick-off and raced forward, with Woodyard racing on to Jack Rudoni’s cut-back and firing high into the net from 15 yards.

Like on Saturday against Gillingham, Karl Robinson brought on Sam Winnall and Dan Agyei, with Matty Taylor and Shodipo making way as United switched to 4-3-2.

Wimbledon looked most likely to add to their tally, though, with substitute Ryan Longman finding space between the lines and George Dobson shooting wide from inside the box.

Jamie Hanson and Forde replaced Elliot Lee and Sykes, while Ruffels headed over at the far post late in normal time, but the U’s could not find it within themselves to force another comeback.

AFC Wimbledon (4-4-2): Tzanev, Alexander, Heneghan, Nightingale, Guinness-Walker, Assal (Longman 62), Woodyard, Dobson, Rudoni (McLoughlin 76), Palmer (Osew 79), Pigott.

Unused subs: Cox, O’Neill, Oksanen, Kalambayi.

Booked: Pigott, Guinness-Walker.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Stevens, Long, Moore, Atkinson, Ruffels, Henry, Brannagan (Gorrin 90+3), Sykes (Forde 81), Lee (Hanson 81), Taylor (Winnall 67), Shodipo (Agyei 67).

Unused subs: Eastwood, Kelly.

Booked: Sent off: Henry.

Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire).