Oxford United finished the year on top of the table, but manager Chris Wilder was disappointed with the way his team ended it in the second half of the 1-1 draw at Salisbury.

After taking the lead ten minutes from time through substitute Onome Sodje, they allowed the Wiltshire outfit to snatch a point with a header following a long throw-in in the 88th minute.

United stay two points clear of second-placed Stevenage, who also dropped points in a 0-0 draw at home to AFC Wimbledon, but they felt it was a missed opportunity to extend their lead.

“We did the hard bit, in getting the lead, and then completely switched off,” Wilder said.

“It was not good enough at all. There’s disappointment at that second-half display . . . I thought we were very average.

“We gave the ball away too much, invited the opposition on to us, never kept hold of it. Yet I thought first half we were good.

“It’s pretty easy to criticise, but it wasn’t easy out there. I thought the pitch was in a worse condition to ours on Saturday, so it wasn’t great for the players to try to pass their way through, but I thought we controlled the ball.

“And I thought it was only a matter of time, after our first-half display – we created enough chances – but second half we’ve not played at all.

“We didn’t keep hold of the ball or take two or three passes at all, and that gave the opposition a boost to hit us on the break.

“The boys were complaining with the decision for the throw (to Salisbury) at the end.

“But we just didn’t deal with the corner or the throw. We’ve not stopped a cross, and my goalkeeper and my two centre halves . . . I don’t know where they were.

“We were doing that all day long and my goalkeeper was coming to collect it, and if not, I expect my two ugly centre halves to stick their head on that and clear it, and defend it or do what they have to do to clear it properly.

“It was a really poor goal to concede late on in the day – and it just shouldn't happen.”

United's manager, and the fans, have had a frustrating Christmas period, but at least they didn’t lose ground on Stevenage or York, with the Minster-men’s game postponed.

“It's not been a bad day in terms of results, but we could have stretched the lead today,” he added.

“But we weren’t good enough in the second half – I think a draw’s possibly a fair result.

The Oxford fans were again out in great numbers, having well over half the gate at Salisbury with a legion of more than 1,500 travelling supporters.