Barry Quinn's first goal of the season brought Oxford United their second straight win, although they made hard work of it against bottom club Droylsden.

The U's skipper volleyed home from seven yards at the far post after Adam Murray's free-kick from the right drifted over the Bloods' defence.

It was only the Dubliner's second goal in the last two seasons, his last one coming as the coup de grace in the 4-1 home win against Weymouth at Easter last year.

For Droylsden, who hadn't won away all season, the final scoreline was almost a success. Their previous four away games had seen them go down 5-0, 5-0, 8-0 and 3-0.

Eddie Anaclet for Yemi Odubade was the one change to the tream that beat Histon 3-0, and as expected, Craig McAllister was on the bench.

The first real action of the match involved a superb sliding challenge by Adam Murray to win the ball and halt any danger after Billy Turley had put Luke Foster in trouble with a short pass from his goal.

It wasn't long, though, before the U's started to exert their superiority in most departments.

One slick move ended with Justin Richards chesting the ball down and Matt Green seeing his low shot saved.

Droylsden keeper Paul Phillips was kept busy but he also came a long way off his line to collect corners, free-kicks and Matt Day's long throw-ins, and proved impressively dominant.

The frustration for home fans was that, having seen him do it four or five times, United still continued to deliver the ball too close to him too often.

Droylsden didn't get too many sights of goal, although they still played with plenty of freedom in midfield, and Jamie McGuire tried his luck with a curling long-range shot that had Turley scrambling across his goal and diving to his right just in case the effort sneaked in.

United struggled to find the fluency of last week, partly because they again didn't really have an outlet on the right where Anaclet, low on confidence, seldom tried to run with the ball or take opponents on.

Richards and Green both worked hard up front but found Droylsden's back line a stubborn one.

Desperate to get off the mark for his new club, Richards embarked on one great run through the left channel and shot, which Phillips saved.

A brilliant 50-yard pass from Murray picked out Richards early in the second half, but he was soon crowded out.

And in the 58th minute, Michael Blackwood was very unlucky not to score with a left-footed volley from a difficult dropping ball. It was heading into the far corner, but a deflection off Levi Mackin diverted it a foot wide.

The Bloods pressed forward several times in search of an equaliser but couldn't get past Turley, who kept his tenth clean sheet in the past 12 home games.

McAllister came on for the last few minutes for his first taste of action following his hamstring injury, for a useful run-out.

Richards really should have wrapped it up five minutes from time but blazed over from eight yards after being teed up beautifully by sub Odubade.

Moments earlier, Yemi hit a fine volley from Danny Rose's deep cross, which a defender blocked in front of the line. Richards may never get a better opportunity to open his account.

Odubade then had a shot saved after another swift raid.

But Droylsden missed a sitter in the final minute of injury time when Jody Banim played the ball into the box, United's defence was momentarily asleep, and sub Terry Fearns touched it wide of a gaping goal.

Hard work it may have been, but this was the first time United had chalked up back-to-back league wins since August.

Oxford Utd: Turley, Day, Quinn, Foster, Howard, Anaclet (McAllister 78), Hutchinson, Murray, Blackwood (Rose 71), Richards, Green (Odubade 62). Subs not used: Clarke, Trainer.

Att: 4,331 (43 from Droylsden).

Booked: Murray.