OXFORD United came from behind to score three goals in the final 11 minutes and start 2016 with a thrilling win at Notts County.

The visitors were heading for a scarcely believable defeat after battering County but only having Liam Sercombe's penalty to show for their efforts.

Jon Stead and Curtis Thompson struck to put the home side, who had been woeful for an hour, in front.

But United showed admirable character to level through Alex MacDonald, before late goals from Callum O'Dowda and Kemar Roofe took the points.

  • Oxford United celebrate the victory with their 1,350 travelling fans

Chris Maguire and Johnny Mullins both recovered from knocks to take their place in the starting line-up.

Maguire replaced O'Dowda on the left flank, while Mullins's ankle knock which forced him off in the goalless draw at Yeovil on Monday had healed.

United picked up where they left off in Somerset - in total control.

County, under caretaker bosses Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden for the first time, gave them space to play from the first whistle.

It was an invitation the visitors gratefully accepted and there was less than two minutes on the clock when Elliott Hewitt was booked for a crude tackle on Roofe.

United's top scorer dusted himself down and quickly laid on the first good chance.

Roofe spun in the box and clipped a cross to the back post, where Maguire's fierce volley was smartly blocked by Roy Carroll.

MacDonald and George Baldock quickly resumed their dangerous partnership on the right flank.

On 11 minutes MacDonald's early cross was headed behind off a defender by Roofe. From the corner Ryan Taylor had a shot blocked out to John Lundstram, who smashed a shot over.

Aside from an ambitious overhead kick from Izale McLeod and a wayward effort from range by strike partner Jon Stead, County barely carried a threat.

Dryden and Halsall were frantically instructing their players not to sit so deep, but the home fans quickly grew impatient.

Even when the home side went forward it gave United chances to break.

One such counter-attack saw Carroll save after Roofe delayed his shot, but the ball fell to a County defender who inexplicably played the ball to Haydn Hollis on the line.

While the centre back made a hurried clearance, it was symptomatic of a side with muddled minds.

Their half was summed up when Stanley Aborah took a free-kick short, only to pick out the referee standing ten yards away.

For all United's dominance, there was a need to make the pressure count.

Just as it looked County might survive until the break, they cracked.

A ricochet fell kindly for Sercombe, who broke into the box and was brought down by Carroll.

The goalkeeper was only booked, helped by the fact the midfielder's touch took him away from goal, but Sercombe did not let him off the hook and confidently despatched the spot kick.

County did not appear any more organised after half-time, when United resumed their bombardment.

Carroll saved a firm low shot from MacDonald after Aborah had given the ball away to Sercombe, while he also kept out a volley from Lundstram.

Chances continued to flow and when Baldock struck Carroll's right-hand post with a low shot, County were on the ropes.

United should have been out of sight, but out of nowhere they were pegged back.

Lundstram was penalised for a foul and from Aborah's free-kick Stead nodded home.

Incredibly, County then took the lead.

With 14 minutes remaining substitute Thompson played a one-two on the edge of United's box and fired past Sam Slocombe.

It was an astonishing turnaround, but there was plenty more to come.

Within three minutes the visitors were level, when Callum O'Dowda's corner was nodded down by Patrick Hoban - both having come off the bench - for MacDonald to swivel and score from four yards out.

The remaining ten minutes were breathless as both sides went for the winning goal.

Carroll thwarted MacDonald and Sercombe, while County were still dangerous.

But as the game entered the final stages it was United who found the composure which had been lacking at Yeovil on Monday.

O'Dowda made it 3-2 with a cool finish, picking out the top corner with two defenders on the line after Carroll had saved from Roofe.

A minute later Roofe bagged his 13th goal of the season on the break, hammering a low shot into the far corner from 20 yards to finally make the game safe.

Notts Co: Carroll, Hewitt, Hollis, Atkinson, Milsom, Campbell, Smith (Thompson 57), Aborah, Burke (Murray 57), Stead, McLeod (McLeod 79).

Unused subs: Loach, Sharpe, Valencic, Audel.

Oxford Utd: Slocombe, Baldock, Mullins, Wright, Skarz, MacDonald, Sercombe, Lundstram, Maguire (O'Dowda 73), Roofe, Taylor (Hoban 73).

Unused subs: Buchel, Dunkley, Evans, Ruffels, Hylton.

Referee: Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire).

Attendance: 5,877 (1,350 visitors).

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