ASA Hall’s hot streak in front of goal was extended with two precious strikes to give Oxford United a terrific victory at Accrington Stanley.
The result was hugely significant, lifting the U’s up to sixth in npower League Two and clear of the sides chasing below the play-off places.
It was another wholehearted defensive performance, but Hall took the plaudits with a brace which made it five goals in seven games.
The midfielder showed great composure to open the scoring with a shot just before half-time and made the game safe with a close range header midway through the second half.
It was a well deserved win for the U’s, exploiting a depleted Stanley, who were kept at bay by the visitors’ back four.
West Ham loanee Cristian Montano was handed a first start after impressing in Saturday’s goalless draw at Cheltenham Town.
Dean Morgan dropped to the bench as one of three changes, with Oli Johnson and Adam Chapman coming in for Scott Rendell and Andy Whing respectively.
It was a positive selection from U’s boss Chris Wilder, who reverted to his favoured 4-3-3 formation after playing 4-4-2 at the weekend.
It helped the visitors get away to a bright start and less than two minutes were on the clock when Hall headed a Peter Leven corner narrowly wide.
Montano also tried his luck from range after a good spell of pressure early on, but the ball flew harmlessly into the Lancashire twilight.
James Constable, starved of service on Saturday, looked fired up and the striker picked up an early booking for a challenge on Kevin McIntyre.
The Stanley left back dusted himself down and went on to have Accrington’s first meaningful effort on 18 minutes, volleying wide from Padraig Amond’s lay-off.
Goalmouth action was at a premium as both sides cancelled each other out for a lengthy spell.
A bumpy playing surface did not help and the U’s were forced to go more direct than normal, with limited success.
Defensively the visitors looked solid, led by centre backs Jake Wright and Harry Worley, who picked up where they left off against Cheltenham.
Wright made an inspired intervention six minutes before the break to deny a certain goal from Jamie Devitt.
A dangerous cross was only half cleared and the ball looped up invitingly for the midfielder, whose left-footed volley beat U’s goalkeeper Ryan Clarke, but Wright hooked it off the line.
Accrington went on to have their best spell of the half, winning multiple corners which briefly worried United.
After weathering the brief storm, the visitors hit back to open the scoring on 42 minutes.
A through pass missed Montano, but Constable was alive to the danger and chased it down, forcing a hurried sliding clearance.
The loose ball was perfect for Hall, who seized on the chance by bursting into the area and firing a shot past Stanley goalkeeper Lee Nicholls.
United needed a smart save from Clarke low to his right to keep out Robert Grant’s header as the hosts came close to an equaliser within seconds.
The visitors emerged from the interval intent on extending their lead and Hall almost made another breakthrough on 50 minutes.
Leven’s in-swinging free-kick found the midfielder and his header was scrambled round the far post by Nicholls.
Accrington went on to have two good chances to get on level terms in the space of three minutes.
Clarke made an acrobatic save to parry Amond’s firm header, while Grant had an even clearer sight of goal at the end of a mazy run which he blazed well over.
The game was not stretched for long and both sides regrouped defensively to restore the status quo.
Both teams made changes, Whing replacing a limping Worley, but it took a mistake on 73 minutes to unlock a second goal, when Accrington gave the ball away cheaply in their own half.
Hall skipped away from a challenge and played in Constable, who stood up a cross for the midfielder to bury a header past Nicholls from six yards.
It gave United a two-goal cushion – a real rarity in the last few weeks.
Anthony Tonkin and Rendell were brought off the bench to help run down the clock, which Wilder’s side have become increasingly adept at during tight games.
Amond and Devitt saw headers fly off target in the closing stages, but Clarke was untroubled on his way to a third successive clean sheet.
The clock was run down effectively, to the delight of the travelling fans who could look forward to a long, happy journey home.
Oxford Utd (4-3-3): Clarke, Batt, Worley (Whing 72), Wright, Davis, Hall, Chapman, Leven, Johnson (Tonkin 83), Constable, Montano (Rendell 86).
Substitutes not used: Morgan, Wilson.
Booked: Constable.
Accrington Stanley (4-2-3-1): Nicholls, Lindfield, Murphy, Liddle, McIntyre, Barnett (Hopper 73), Joyce, Evans (Hatfield 70), Devitt, Grant (Craney 81), Amond Unused substitutes: Dunbavin, Willis.
Booked: None.
Attendance: 1,408.
Referee: Eddie Ilderton.
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