TRIALIST Elliott Frear did his chances no harm at all by scoring in Oxford United’s pre-season friendly at Woking.

The winger, who was at Motherwell last season, calmly finished to put the visitors in front at Kingfield.

But although Woking equalised through Jake Hyde just before the hour mark, the bigger concern for the U’s was the sight of James Henry hobbling off in the latter stages.

Rob Dickie and Tariqe Fosu shrugged off niggles to start, but Rob Hall, Malachi Napa and Jamie Mackie all sat the game out.

Woking, promoted to the Vanarama National League, provided a step up in opposition after three games in as many days in midweek.

They came closest to scoring early on, Jake Hyde glancing a header wide from a ninth-minute corner.

United saw plenty of the ball, but found it difficult to break down Woking’s back four, who easily outmuscled the visitors’ diminutive front four.

In humid Surrey sunshine, the game meandered along with few goalscoring chances to keep the crowd’s attention.

But nine minutes before the break, United went ahead with the best moment of the half.

Good work from the impressive Rob Dickie led to Mark Sykes, who showed uncanny vision to instantly look over the top. Frear collected the pass and beat the last man with one touch, before racing clear to calmly beat goalkeeper Craig Ross.

Sykes fired wide shortly afterwards following good work from Kyran Lofthouse.

But United’s vulnerability from set pieces was on show just before the break, when Jack Cook’s header went just past the far post.

The interval brought just the one change – Henry on for Fosu.

Woking, playing in only their second warm-up game, drew level just before the hour mark.

Kevin Berkoe made a terrific block to keep out Hyde’s goal-bound effort, but when the ball came back into the area from Cook the former Barnet striker headed past Simon Eastwood.

The hosts, who immediately made a flurry of substitutions, came close to quickly taking the lead, but Dickie’s block thwarted a tap-in for Steve Tarpey.

United’s changes followed, but 13 minutes from time there was immediate concern for their first substitute.

Henry was caught on the edge of the box as he was about to shoot, appearing to twist painfully.

After a lengthy stoppage for treatment he was withdrawn, last season’s top-scorer limping off and shaking his head ruefully.

Lofthouse had the best chance to win the game late on. He was sent clear by Frear, but the teenage winger fired tamely into the side netting.

United’s schedule continues at Eastleigh on Tuesday night.

Woking: Ross (Howes 60), Cook (Collier 60), Casey, Poku (Morrisson 79, Parry (Diarra 60), Gerring, Tarpey, Hyde (Skinner 60), Kretzschmar (Hodges 60), Trialist (Trialist 60), Donnellan (Ferdinand 60).

Oxford Utd: Eastwood, Long (McMahon 70), Dickie (Allardyce 70), Jones (Mousinho 70), Berkoe (Ruffels 70), Sykes, Hanson, Lofthouse, Fosu (Henry HT, Heap 77), Frear, Lopes (James 86).

Subs: Stevens, Crooks, James.

Referee: Craig Hicks.

Attendance: 716.