United go down at home
    Matt Murphy's 66th minute penalty wasn't enough as Oxford United were
    defeated 3-1 by Millwall at the Manor Ground.
    Oxford's home form has let them down so far this term and this proved to
    be the case when the Lions' former Arsenal striker, Paul Shaw, gave his
    side the lead after 25 minutes.
    The 26-year-old hit a superb effort from the edge of the 18-yard area. The
    Oxford keeper managed to tip the ball onto the underside of the bar but
    the pace of the shot took the ball into the goal.
    It has to be said the home side were by far the more inferior of the two
    sides in midfield which was no doubt spotted by the Oxford boss Malcolm
    Shotton.
    Shotton moved down to the bench for the second half after spending the
    first period in the directors' box in what proved to be a vain attempt to
    motivate his troops.
    The second period started with challenges flying in from both sets of
    players and emotions were running high.
    But Shaw managed to grab his second of the afternoon after 64 minutes
    after neat interplay between himself and Paul Ifill. Shaw won the ball in
    midfield and fed it to Ifill who returned the ball to the former Cardiff City
    man. Shaw then buried the ball hard and low into the Oxford goal.
    The visiting Millwall faithful could have been excused for thinking the
    game as a contest was over there and then. But Malcolm Shotton's men
    showed their fighting spirit with a goal after 66 minutes which brought
    them back into the tie.
    Matt Murphy was brought down in the area. But the player dusted himself
    down to drill the ball hard and low into the Millwall goal from the penalty
    spot.
    Just as the home fans were willing their team to produce an astonishing
    equaliser, the Lion's midfielder Tim Cahill muted them with his 72nd
    minute close range effort.
    The result is a major disappointment for Malcolm Shotton's men who are
    struggling to make an impact in Division Two this term.

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