WHILE Oxford United’s home record is a cause for concern, they continued their terrific run on the road with a deserved win at Peterborough United.

Phil Edwards’s header gave the visitors a lead at half-time and after a host of chances went begging Conor McAleny netted the all-important second goal.

It was needed, because although Leo Da Silva Lopes was sent off late on, the terrific Simon Eastwood was finally beaten in stoppage-time by Craig Mackail-Smith.

The goal set up a tense final few moments, but United held firm to bag their seventh away win in eight games to cut the gap to the Sky Bet League One play-off places to six points.

Oxford Mail:

  • Conor McAleny beats Peterborough goalkeeper Luke McGee to double the lead

An unchanged U’s side were on the back foot early on as the Posh made a bright start.

Several early corners came to nothing, before Eastwood was called upon in the ninth minute.

The goalkeeper, making his 50th appearance of the season, showed extraordinary reflexes in diving to his left to keep out Da Silva Lopes’ powerful shot from 15 yards.

The fluent hosts threatened again when Edwards got in a tangle and the ball fell to Tom Nichols, whose shot was smartly blocked by Chey Dunkley.

United’s balls into the front two were not good enough and invited pressure at the other end, but midway through the half they began to find their feet.

Kane Hemmings and Rob Hall combined to set up a chance for Conor McAleny ten yards out, where his effort was smothered by Michael Bostwick.

The next time United came forward, they opened the scoring.

A neat move saw McAleny have another effort blocked. This time it went for a corner, from which Edwards rose highest to meet Hall’s delivery and power a header low into the net.

It began a 15-minute spell of one-way traffic.

Hall drifted off the left flank and shot just wide, while Hemmings was only inches away from turning in Marvin Johnson’s cross-shot.

The left back laid on another chance in the 36th minute.

He was too quick for Da Silva Lopes out wide and from his cross Hemmings dummied for McAleny eight yards out. The Everton loanee made good contact with his shot, but goalkeeper Luke McGee was well-positioned to parry.

Oxford Mail:

  • Kane Hemmings nicks a bouncing ball away from Michael Bostwick

A minute later there were more Oxford heads in hands when Chris Maguire’s low cross was just out of reach for McAleny and Hall.

The U’s were in charge, but got a lucky break late in the half.

A dispute over a throw-in led to an altercation which ended with McAleny throwing Peterborough centre back Jack Baldwin to the ground.

It was an incident which could have seen referee Mark Heywood produce either card, but to United’s relief the forward was only cautioned.

Peterborough came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half and the U’s were again thankful to Eastwood’s reactions.

The goalkeeper tipped Chris Forrester’s rising drive for a corner, which fell to the experienced Mackail-Smith eight yards out. The striker swivelled and shot, but Eastwood was there again to block.

Peterborough continued to look vulnerable at the other end, though.

Several times they were caught in their own half by the U’s pressing game and the chances started to mount up.

Ryan Ledson had a shot turned round the post by McGee, while Hall curled a shot just off-target.

Finally, the second goal arrived 19 minutes from time.

Hemmings was released by a quick Johnson throw down the left flank and he moved the ball to Maguire, whose low cross was steered in by McAleny from eight yards.

The 2-0 lead was almost halved within two minutes.

Andrew Hughes, who had a superb game at left back, powered a header from a corner which beat Eastwood but struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced clear.

With nothing left to lose, Peterborough piled on the pressure briefly and Bostwick headed another set piece just wide.

The visitors reshuffled as Joe Rothwell, Liam Sercombe and Toni Martinez all came off the bench.

Peterborough’s faint hopes further diminished when Da Lopes Silva collected a second booking five minutes from time.

There was still time for Eastwood to make another big save, keeping out Mackail-Smith from close range.

Unfortunately it did not secure the clean sheet, as the veteran found the far corner of the net in stoppage-time to bag a consolation.

Peterborough Utd (4-2-3-1): McGee, Smith (Anderson 27), Baldwin (Inman 68), Tafazolli, Hughes, Bostwick, Forrester, Da Silva Lopes, Taylor, Mackail-Smith, Nichols (Morias 68).

Unused subs: Tyler, Binnom-Williams, Samuelsen, Grant.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Eastwood, Edwards, Dunkley, Nelson, Johnson, Hall, Lundstram, Ledson, Maguire, McAleny, Hemmings.

Subs used: Rothwell (McAleny 78), Sercombe (Hall 80), Martinez (Hemmings 83).

Unused subs: Stevens, Skarz, Ribeiro, Ruffels.

Referee: Mark Heywood (Cheshire).

Attendance: 5,469 (1,130 visitors).