OXFORD United arrived at AFC Wimbledon knowing victory would take them top of Sky Bet League One.

They left with a reality check.

Unlike the last three seasons, United are among the early pace-setters but if they are to stay in top-six contention they must correct the two areas that cost them at Plough Lane.

The U’s conceded their fourth and fifth goals from set-pieces this week, bringing the tally to six this season.

On both occasions, a Wimbledon man subtly blocked Will Nightingale’s marker to give the centre back a free header.

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For the equaliser, Alex Gorrin was outnumbered to allow Nightingale to nod towards goal, before Jack Rudoni applied the finishing touch.

Then Ben Heneghan did enough to put Jordan Thorniley off and give his defensive partner a head start 11 minutes from time.

Unfortunately, it had been coming. There was a moment in the first half when Cameron Brannagan was marking the much taller and stockier Ollie Palmer at a free-kick - you would have fancied the striker to win that aerial battle.

The U’s had navigated a frenetic first half and opened the scoring at a brilliant time through Mark Sykes.

At 1-0, with a noisy home crowd briefly silenced, you wanted United to slow the game down after the break but it remained just as end-to-end.

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The U's have gone ahead in all three away league games this season and taken a single point, at Cambridge United on the opening day.

In each of those matches, they have missed chances at crucial times.

Nathan Holland’s opportunity 60 seconds before Nightingale made it 2-1 was a huge moment, although it must be said that the loanee's burst through the centre was born from the switch to a diamond formation six minute earlier.

He was not the only one to spurn openings and you would think a squad with so much attacking talent should not have many more days like this.

United have given us a lot to be optimistic about in the first month of the season and one defeat does not change that, although it does temper it.

They have produced two excellent home performances and will need to be right on it again next Saturday, when Wycombe Wanderers will give them no room to breathe.

They have a week on the training ground before then - Karl Robinson spoke last week about tightening the bolts and you can imagine there will be plenty of work on set-pieces.