Oxford United 3 - Arsenal 0
Division One
May 5, 1986

Ray Houghton celebrates his goal against the mighty Arsenal

Having won the League Cup a few weeks earlier, United needed to win this game against Arsenal to ensure their survival in the top flight.

If United failed to win then Ipswich would stay above them and thus be saved from relegation. Arsenal fielded a very strong line-up which included eight men who had or would play in international football.

A Manor crowd of 13,651 saw Ray Houghton give United a third-minute lead. Attacking the London Road End after the break, United were awarded a dubious penalty when Viv Anderson and John Aldridge collided in the 71st minute.

Aldridge's penalty sent John Lukic the wrong way to double United's lead. With just nine minutes left, Houghton weighted a perfect pass to Billy Hamilton and the big Ulsterman scored his last ever first team goal.

THE TEAMS

Arsenal: Lukic, Anderson, Kenny Sansom, Martin Keown, David O'Leary(Ian Allinson), Tony Adams, Stuart Robson, Paul Davis, Tony Woodcock, Charlie Nicholas and Graham Rix.

Oxford: Alan Judge, Dave Langan, John Trewick, Mark Jones, Gary Briggs, Malcolm Shotton, Houghton, Aldridge, Hamilton, Trevor Hebberd and Steve Perryman.

History compiled by Andy Howland