Quickfire double completed at Oxford City for in-form Bedford Town

That took Bedford up to 12th and unbeaten in five games, made all the more spectacular as four of those matches have been away from home.

With keeper Nathan Ashmore recalled by Boreham Wood, boss Lee Bircham gave Luke Mewitt his first start between the posts in a game that saw the young keeper grow in confidence.

Captain, Junior Gyamfi was also out, serving a one-match ban, allowing Josh Dawodu a start.

The Eagles went ahead after just five minutes after Leon Lobjoit’s low cross into the area was flicked on by Tyrone Marsh, and Callum Tripp was on hand to punish the uncertain Oxford defending by slotting the ball into the bottom left corner from 12 yards.

Mewitt had had a shaky start to the game, but on 15 minutes a backpass failed to spot a home player behind the keeper, and although he nicked the ball away, the touch was awful, and Mewitt dropped down on the ball.

Mewitt then pushed a Tom Scott shot over the bar, as Oxford looked dangerous on attack.

The equaliser came on 34 minutes when Scott pulled a pass back from the right byline to the edge of the area for Josh Ashby to sweep home past the wrong footed defence.

Three minutes later, a corner was awarded to the home side, when the referee decided Mewitt had taken too long to get rid of the ball.

As the Bedford players were distracted from the decision, Oxford took a quick corner, and as the defence regrouped, an angled shot was blazed over the bar.

Mewitt saved with his legs in added time, when a corner was deflected goalwards by a Bedford defender.

Early in the second half, Mewitt tipped an effort from Josh Parker over the bar, then did the same when Parker produced a free header three minutes later.

Sam Lewis, in the Oxford goal, then had to palm a stinging shot from Lobjoit round the post.

Although the earlier exchanges favoured the home side, Bedford took the lead courtesy of Man of the Match Josh Phillips, who received the ball on the right, went on a little run, cut inside to the edge of the area, and skimmed a shot past the defence and Lewis.

Just before the goal, Ryan Blackman had fired over the bar from 20 yards.

Bedford nearly added another three minutes later when Phillips, coming into the right of the area, forced Lewis into a save at his near post.

With a minute of normal time remaining, Marsh found Greg Sandiford, and his cross into the area was met by the head of Lobjoit, but the resulting header went agonisingly wide.

In stoppage time, a low cross into the Bedford box caused palpitations, but no home player was on hand to get the final touch.