United had to settle for a draw at the north-west outpost of Barrow, despite totally dominating the second half.

They pinned the home side back and forced 15 corners, but couldn't make their pressure tell.

But they didn't have much fortune. James Constable had an effort cleared off the line and then struck the bar in quick succession just before the finish when the visitors applied so much pressure, it was like the Alamo.

Barrow took a first-half lead through striker Jon Shaw.

Luke Foster nodded in his first goal of the season to bring Oxford level, thumping home a header from Adam Murray's free-kick six minutes before the break.

But despite having a massive percentage of the ball as they played with the wind in the second half, the league leaders couldn't find a winner.

Ryan Clarke passed a fitness test on his elbow injury to keep his record of starting every game this season, and Adam Chapman kept his place at right back.

However, with Jamie Cook available again, Jack Midson dropped to the bench, which looked much stronger than it had in midweek.

The biggest test, for both sides, was a ferocious wind off the Irish Sea, gusting up to 60mph.

Playing against the gale in the first half, Clarke found that goal kicks and clearances would sometimes only reach halfway between the edge of his area and the centre circle.

And whenever Barrow were awarded a free-kick 40 yards out, they would try their luck with a long-range shot, but the first two flew well over the bar.

James Constable produced the game's first shot of any menace, after bursting between two defenders.

He hit it with venom as well, and keeper Stuart Tomlinson parried high into the air.

Barrow took the lkead on 29 minutes with a well-worked goal, though there was more than a suspicion of offside about it.

Justin Walker and Jon Shaw combined to spread play out to the left, and Neil Wainwright's cross-cum-shot deflected to fall perfectly for Shaw, five yards out, and he side-footed it home off the right-hand post.

Several United players looked appealingly over to the referee's assistant, but there was no flag.

As in instant response, the U's forced a corner straight from the kick-off, and Luke Foster nodded Cook's flag-kick wide.

Matt Green was close to equalising after Cook picked out his intelligent run. Green got in between Barrow's keeper and defence, turned and shot, but Stuart Tomlinson was out quickly to make a blocking save.

But in the 38th minute, Foster headed the U's level, becoming the 12th different player to score for Oxford this season, and with the wind in their favour for the second half, they then fancied their chances.

Chris Wilder pushed Murray further forward, to play just behind Constable, for the second half, and the visitors took complete control, playing almost exclusively in Barrow's half and forcing countless corners.

Chapman saw a near-post shot saved after a great run from Green, and Foster nearly made his mark again with a header, this time from a corner, but the ref blew up for a foul.

Midway through the second period, Jack Midson came on for Murray, to give United two powerful front men.

Both Constable and Green worked their way into shooting positions in the last few minutes, but couldn't get any power in their strikes.

Oxford Utd: Clarke, Chapman (Batt 71), Foster, Creighton, Kinniburgh, Bulman, Murray (Midson 67), Green, Constable, Cook. Subs not used: Turley, Sandwith, Perry. Booked: Constable, Midson.

Referee: Jake Collin (Merseyside).

Att: 1,561 (265 from Oxford).