Top of the table Oxford United entertained bottom side Newport County in Abingdon this morning and it was the U's that came out on top thanks to Spasi Slavov's double either side of half-time and a fine finish from substitute Diogo Tjim as the game entered stoppage time.
United had the ball in the net as early as the second minute, when Owen James' shot was palmed into the air by the Newport keeper and Spasov finished with a neat overhead kick, but the flag was up for offside. Two minutes later James's cross was smacked against the outside of the post by Ryan Crooks as United made all the early running.
In the eighth minute United were again denied a goal by the offside flag, this time Crooks placed the ball into the net after being played through by Spasov. As Newport came into the game, United had to wait until midway through the first half for their next chance, Spasov heading over the keeper but onto the roof of the net from Crooks's left-wing cross.
United had to wait until first-half stoppage time to find the breakthrough. James's neat pass found Spasov in the area and the goalkeeper rushed out to bring him down. Spasov picked himself up to send the keeper the wrong way from the spot and give the U's the lead.
Ten minutes into the second half Spasov doubled his and United's tally with a firm header into the top corner from Nico Jones' cross and the rampaging forward almost grabbed his hat-trick on the hour, flicking the ball just wide after good work on the right by Harry Sampford.
Newport's attempts to get back into the game suffered a further setback when they had a defender sent off for a second yellow card following a heated exchange in which Viktor Milton and another Newport player were also booked with five minutes remaining.
In the final minute United's dominance was properly reflected in the scoreline when Tjim, an U16 winger who had replaced Spasov, was on the end of Crooks's rasping cross to thump the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Another fine display from the Oxford youth team, who just can't stop winning. Today's game was their eighth in a row and a fine way to set themselves up for this Saturday's game away to Swindon.
United: Evans, Jones, McCreadie(Chambers-Parillon 68), Niblett , Milton, Cowan, James, Crooks, Sampford (Tjim 61), Spasov (Edwards 73), Elechi