Bradford City 1 (Wells 14) Oxford United 2 (Rigg 18, Leven pen 90) (From Banbury Cake)

Bradford City 1 (Wells 14) Oxford United 2 (Rigg 18, Leven pen 90)

4:59pm Saturday 12th January 2013 in Sport By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

PETER Leven's 90th-minute penalty gave Oxford United a stunning but thoroughly deserved victory away to Bradford City.

The Scot kept his cool from 12 yards after Alfie Potter had been fouled in the box, completing a remarkable win.

A makeshift line-up fell behind in awful fashion when Michael Duberry and Wayne Brown's mix-up handed a goal to Nakhi Wells.

But Sean Rigg quickly levelled with a sweet strike and United went on to create a host of opportunities.

It looked as though they would have to settle for a point, but Leven's late spot kick sealed a fourth straight league win.

United made six changes to their starting line-up, but the most eye-catching was in goal, where Brown came in for the injured Ryan Clarke.

Justin Richards replaced top scorer Tom Craddock, while Lewis Montrose made his debut in midfield.

The visitors lined up with an unfamiliar shape, which was 3-4-3 when they were in possession, but switched to something closer to a 5-4-1 when City had the ball.

It began well enough, with Rigg having a 20-yard shot tipped over by Bantams goalkeeper Matt Duke.

But after an encouraging opening, the U's shot themselves in the foot in farcical fashion on 14 minutes.

A ball over the top looked innocuous, but Duberry and Brown - United's two most experienced players - got themselves into a terrible mix-up.

Duberry went to head it back to the goalkeeper, but Brown opted to rush out. The defender got to the ball first and nodded past the goalkeeper, allowing Wells to sprint clear and tap in from two yards.

It was a dreadful setback, but the lead lasted just four minutes.

Good work down the right flank between Damian Batt and Potter ended with a cross which Leven laid off to Rigg. The winger pounced on the chance and volleyed into the corner from the edge of the box.

Back on level terms, the visitors went on to become the better side up to half time as Richards held the ball up well.

Duke was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers, scrambling to his right to turn a Leven cross round the post.

Montrose was at the heart of most incidents, getting booked for a firm tackle before being fouled shortly afterwards by Gary Jones, who also received a yellow card.

The on-loan midfielder came close to a wonder goal in the stroke of half time.

Turning away from Jones on the halfway line, he surged forward into the final third, riding two challenges before having a shot blocked.

The loose ball fell to Potter, whose snatched shot was saved by Duke.

After a brief flurry from the home side after the break, it was United who went on to create the lion's share of chances.

Rigg came close to a second goal when he charged down a dawdling Rory McArdle and fired in a shot which Duke turned behind.

Just before the hour Potter met Batt's cross with a firm header which was half saved by Duke and Carl McHugh cleared off the line.

Two minutes later another Batt centre fell to Liam Davis, whose flying volley was parried by Duke.

The Bantams goalkeeper made an even better save midway through the half, palming Rigg's header at a corner on to the underside of the crossbar.

City's fans, who had watched their side beat Aston Villa in midweek, grew increasingly restless at the visitors' control of the game.

Kyel Reid, Blair Turgott and Alan Connell all came on in an effort to change the flow of the game.

City pushed forward, but were unable to test Brown.

Instead it was United who snatched a late goal, as Potter was felled in the box.

Leven stepped up and hammered home from 12 yards to send the away fans into ecstasy.

McHugh thought he had grabbed an injury time equaliser, but the offside flag came to United's rescue.

Oxford Utd: Brown, Raynes, Duberry, Wright, Batt, Montrose, Leven, Davis, Potter, Richards, Rigg.

Unused subs: Crocombe, Heslop, Capaldi, Worley, O'Brien, Parker, Craddock.

Bradford: Duke, Darby, McHugh, McArdle, Dickson, Hines (Turgott 63), Doyle, G Jones, Atkinson (Reid 63), Wells (Connell 79), Gray.

Unused subs: McLaughlin, Ravenhill, R Jones, Good.

Referee: Jeremy Simpson.

Attendance: 10,087 (260 visitors).

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