Oxford United huffed and puffed but they were unable to find a crucial second goal as they drew with fellow promotion hopefuls Portsmouth today.

Liam Sercombe fired the U's into a 33rd-minute lead, but Adam McGurk's 61st-minute strike ensured it was honours-even at full-time, despite the visitors playing the final ten minutes or so with ten men.

It was a game in which the quality was far above the normal in League Two, and saw both sides show why they will expect to be challenging at the top of the table come May.

However, the point will definitely suit the visitors more, with United keeper Sam Slocombe not called on for much of the game.

Michael Appleton made three changes from the side that lost at Northampton, with Johnny Mullins and Kemar Roofe fit again and Sercombe back from suspension.

They came in for Chey Dunkley, Ryan Taylor and Alex MacDonald respectively.

Portsmouth, without striker Gary Roberts, brought in keeper Paul Jones with regular No 1 Brian Murphy out injured.

A bumper gate and cracking atmosphere greeted the two sides, but it took both a while to get going.

United were not given a chance to get their foot on the ball in the opening 15 minutes.

But although Portsmouth were comfortable in possession, they did not pose any threat to Oxford's goal.

They were, however, indebted to skipper Jake Wright in the 23rd minute after he did magnificently to stick out a foot and deny the visitors a breakaway after Lundstram had been dispossessed Gradually, though, Appleton's side got into the game and they dominated the remainder of the half.

Danny Hylton was the first player to make a goalkeeper work, latching onto a Lundstram ball, and firing in a left-footed shot that Jones did well to deflect over the bar.

Callum O'Dowda looked a constant threat down the left, and the trio of Danny Rose, Peter Lundstram and Sercombe were dominating the centre of the park.

The visitors made an early change with Conor Chaplin, who had been booked, replaced by Matt Tubbs, but the striker hardly had a kick.

United started to crank up the pressure and their threat reaped rewards in the 33rd minute.

A corner from Rose was headed clear, but ended up at the foot of Sercombe, who was lurking just outside the box.

The midfielder showed great technique to keep the ball down, and fired a right-foot volley into the back of the net.

Hylton was booked for a foul on Nigel Atangana 25 yards out, and United were thankful Ben Davies's free-kick curled just wide of Sam Slocombe's upright.

The U's continued to dominate with the visitors unable to cope with the quick, one-touch passing from midfield.

They were dealt a blow, however, when O'Dowda was forced off with double vision, allowing MacDonald the chance to impress.

But the visitors were thankful to their goalkeeper in first-half stoppage time after Roofe raced through.

A looping ball forward was missed by both central defenders, and although the United man appeared to be coming back from an offside position, he was allowed to run through, but saw his shot well-saved by Jones and pushed behind for a corner.

Both sides had possession early in the second half, but neither created any goalscoring opportunites.

But out of the blue, McGurk smashed home an equaliser on 61 minutes.

The Pompey striker was allowed to advance and his well-struck effort from around 30 yards was good enough to beat Slocombe.

It was a big test of character for United, with the 2,459 away fans in full voice.

Wright was booked for a foul and Slocombe spilled a simple cross as Portsmouth enjoyed the majority of possession.

Josh Ruffels replaces Rose, but United struggled to clear their lines and were grateful to an outstretched boot of Joe Skarz to block a goalbound Kyle Bennett shot on 76 minutes.

The visitors were reduced to ten men when Michael Doyle fouled Sercombe and was shown a second yellow card.

And United pushed on with Pompey pulling everyone back.

However, although the fans in the Oxford Mail stand did all they could to suck the ball into the goal, Jones was untroubled.

Oxford Utd: Slocombe, Baldock, Mullins, Wright, Skarz, Rose (Ruffels 72), Lundstram, Sercombe, O'Dowda (MacDonald 40), Roofe (Hoban 82), Hylton. Subs not used: Buchel, Taylor, Roberts, Dunkley. Booked: Hylton, Wright, Ruffels..

Portsmouth: Jones, Davies, Burgess, Clarke, Stevens, Doyle, Atangana (Barton HT), Chaplin (Tubbs 29), Bennett (Hollands 82), Evans, McGurk. Subs: Bass, Webster, Naismith, Stockley. Booked: Chaplin, Doyle, Stevens. Sent off: Doyle.

Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire) Attendance: 9,093 (2,459 from Portsmouth).