Midfielder Asa Hall scored the winner as Oxford United got their home pre-season frien-dly programme off to the perfect start against League One MK Dons at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday.

In truth, the victory should have been more emphatic, United missing a number of good chances, with Werder Bremen triallist Liam Boyce and Tom Craddock the main culprits. Hall scored what proved to be the winner in the 18th minute when he ran on to Alfie Potter’s cutback before lashing the ball past Dons’ keeper Ian McGloughlin.

United, who paraded new signings Michael Duberry in defence, and Deane Smalley and Jon-Paul Pittman up front, had started brightly with Potter’s pace causing problems down both flanks.

The only absentees from the line-up were new faces Andrew Whing and Tony Capaldi, who were ruled out by injury.

MK Dons started to put the pressure on, with centre back Duberry making a superb clearance from Darren Potter’s right-wing cross.

MK Dons, with Luke Chadwick pulling the strings in midfield, looked to move the ball quickly, but United coped well, with Duberry and new skipper Jake Wright solid at the back. Damian Batt made a brilliant challenge on Lewis Guy as he headed for the area as MK Dons turned up the heat, and seconds later Josh Payne headed off the line from striker Sam Baldock.

United pushed forward and took the lead when Potter burst into the area before cutting the ball back for the on-rushing Hall to blast in.

Seconds later, U’s left back Anthony Tonkin made a super block on Mathias Kouo-Doumbe, who then went off injured, before Wright denied Jabo Ibehre as he was about to shoot.

Baldock then had a good chance to level for the visitors, but blasted wide.

Just before the half-hour mark, Ryan Clarke made a good save with his left hand to keep out a shot from substitute Adam Chicksen.

Clarke was again called into action when he palmed away a long-range drive from Stephen Gleeson.

Baldock should have done better minutes later, but fired horribly wide from inside the penalty area.

After the break, the visitors went in search of an equaliser, but United’s defence were equal to the challenge.

Hall fired a difficult chance over the bar after good work from Batt and, on 56 minutes, Pittman went close to doubling United’s lead, but his curling effort, following a neat turn, went wide of a post.

Clarke breathed a sigh of relief when he dropped a cross from Dean Lewington, gathering the ball at the second attempt.

Striker Boyce, the Northern Ireland international, who is on a week’s trial, came on for his debut as manager Chris Wilder made three changes on the hour, with Craddock replacing Smalley and James Constable coming on for Pittman in a new front three.

Clarke made a good catch from another Lewington cross, before Boyce had a golden chance to make it 2-0 after he won the ball on the edge of the area, only to smash it over the top when it seemed easier to score.

Minutes later, Boyce skilfully flicked the ball through to Constable who charged for goal, only to be harshly adjudged offside.

Craddock should have made the game safe after Constable’s ball set him free, but his shot trickled wide. And they were almost rueing that miss when the ball fell to MK Dons substitute Tom Flanagan inside the area, but he shot over.

Oxford Utd: Clarke, Batt, Tonkin, Duberry, Wright, Hall, Payne, Clist, Smalley (Craddock 62), Pittman (Constable 62), Potter (Boyce 62). Subs not used: Purkiss, James, Brown.

MK Dons: McGloughlin, Lewington (Flanagan 82), Kouo-Doumbe (Chick-sen 20), MacKenzie, Gleeson, Potter (Powell 70), S Baldock, Williams, Guy (O’Shea 46), Ibehre (G Baldock 82), Chadwick. Sub not used: Bragg.

Attendance: 1,751.