Sam Deering got his first goal at the Kassam Stadium to send Oxford United on their way to three vital points against ten-man Histon.

The Cambridgeshire side had central defender Adam Bygrave sent off four minutes before half-time for bringing down Alfie Potter and denying a goalscoring opportunity.

And Deering took full advantage soon after the restart.

It was he who was tripped, cynically, by Nat Knight-Percival, which earned the Histon player a booking, and Deering curled the 25-yard free-kick in with goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt left in no-man's land.

From then on, it became shooting practice for United as they went forward at will, and they should really have won by a very convincing margin.

But substitute Matt Green did at least make the points safe with a second goal in the 89th minute, laid to him on a plate by Jack Midson, leaving him with a simple side-foot finish from eight yards.

Rhys Day had a header from a corner comfortably saved, and Alfie Potter saw a shot deflect just wide.

Near the end sub Matt Green teed up Dannie Bulmman, but the midfielder, who has yet to score for the team, sliced wide.

And Damian Batt drilled a 20-yard free-kick against the post with Naisbitt e mere spectator.

Potter also had a goal ruled out for offside, when he looked to be level.

The way Potter and Deering ran at the Histon defenders gave the visitors problems all afternoon.

Potter and Deering both squandered good chances midway through the first half.

Potter ran through iun a central position but seemed to get the ball caught in his feet a bit. He beat Danny Naisbitt with his shot, but it went the wrong side of the post.

Deering broke clear in a similar position and he too poked his shot past the keeper, only to see it dribble wide.

Moments later, U's captain Chris headed Deering's corner over the bar.

United were unchanged from the team that started at Luton, with the same five on the bench as well, and they attacked the Oxford Mail Stand end in the first half.

It was to be a 45 minutes they dominated, though Histon had probably the bets early opportunity when Adam Tann fed Danny Wright, who fired a left-foot shot wide.

Wright was kicking himself later in the half when Rhys Day made a mess of a backpass to Ryan Clarke, knocking it woefully short, but the striker had a rush of blood and blazed wide, when he had time to do much better.

At the other end, Histon were holding out despite not defending very well.

They managed to get blocks in, but several times Oxford players got behind the defence.

Simon Clist did in the 16th minute, but Jack Midson couldn't latch onto his early cross.

Naisbitt was prepared to come way out of his goal to act as a fifth defender, and he made some timely interventions.

When Bygrave was dismissed, it was the third consecutive Oxford-Histon game in which the Stutes had had a player sent off against the U's, following the red cards shown to Wright and Naisbitt last April and August.

They also had five yellow-carded this afternoon.

Potter pulled his hamstring on a run at goal and had to come off ten minutes from time.

Oxford Utd: (4-4-1-1) Clarke; Batt, Day, Wright, Tonkin, Potter (M Green 80), Hargreaves, Bulman, Clist; Deering (M Green 89); Midson. Subs not used: Turley, Creighton, F Green.

Booked: Bulman.

Referee: Andrew Bennett (Devon).

Att: 5,365 (29 from Histon).