UNITED failed produced another ultimately frustrating performance as they failed to build on their win at Farsley Celtic and dropped further behind the Blue Square Premier's leading teams.

But they were probably relieved to have come away with anything after Woking came flying out of the blocks and hit the bar three times in the first half - twice in an incredible opening five minutes in which Billy Turley also pulled off two top-drawer saves.

This was the third match in succession that the Cards have kept a clean sheet against the U's, and although Jim Smith's team tightened up considerably in the second half, their young attack seldom looked like getting the breakthrough they needed.

Oxford hardly knew what hit them at the start as Woking bombarded them in the first few minutes.

The U's looked half asleep as Tom Hutchinson was left to get in a hooked shot from the right edge of the six-yard box that Turley brilliantly tipped over.

Moments later, a last-ditch tackle from behind by Luke Foster halted Marvin Morgan's strong run on goal.

Woking fans were screaming for Foster to be sent off, the player himself argued that he had won the ball, and referee Andy Hendley's decision to instead brandish yellow was probably right.

Kevin James struck the 25-yard free-kick magnificently and it smashed against the bar with Turley beaten. When it came back out, Tom Hutchinson got to it just ahead of an Oxford defender and it looped up and against the bar again.

The game had still not reached the fifth minute when Woking had their fifth seriously good attempt on goal, with on-loan Brighton forward Joe Gatting thumping in a long-range drive that Turley once more tipped over, with some difficulty.

The referee had witnessed more goalmouth action in the first 300 seconds than some see all match, so he must have felt hew had got his money's worth when he then went off a few moments later after pulling a calf muscle, to be replaced by one of his assistants, Mr D P Meeson.

United still hadn't managed a meaningful attempt on goal, but they rectified that in the 16th minute when Alex Jeannin met Carl Pettefer's cross to the back post and his header was deflected over.

Yemi Odubade also delivered a telling right-wing cross which Jeannin knocked back into the path of Phil Trainer but the former Moor Green midfielder sliced his shot well wide.

It was already a very open game, though it seemed that whenever Oxford went forward, they were closed down quickly and were confronted by a massed defence, whereas the Woking players were able to play in acres of space when they broke.

On-loan midfielder Stefan Bailey, who had done a lot of good things and looked authoritative in the centre of the park, finished off a bout of head tennis, begun by Barry Quinn's flick-on, with a header just wide.

Trainer then joined the hitting-the-woodwork club with a right-footed shot against the post following a corner.

One of the most remarkable first halfs ever seen at the Kassam Stadium finished, as it started, with a flurry of efforts on goal, Chris Willmott heading over Foster's cross, Jeannin having a header saved and then Woking's James hitting the bar for the secoind time with another excellent shot.

And in the final minute, Odubade was unlucky with a high lob over the outrushing keeper from 45 yards out that went up into the gods and came back down just two yards behind the gaping goal.

Incredibly, that still wasn't the end of the drama. In injury time, the Woking strikers Morgan and Gatting came in at the far post with a simple tap-in to open the scoring, but got in each other's way, and both missed the ball!

Smith made changes at the break by replacing Pettefer and the out-of-sorts Willmott with Eddie Hutchinson and Michael Standing, which meant Foster switching to centre half.

Standing showed some good touches, linking well with Bailey, and the former Villa man had an effort saved when he darted into the box after Trainer headed back Jeannin's long throw.

The U's were looking tighter at the back now, and although it was a considerably less open contest than it had been during the first half, they were for a change looking the more likely to score.

Bailey and Jeannin both fired wide from 20 yards.

Alex Fisher came on for his home debut, replacing Rhodes with eight minutes to go, but had few good balls on which to do anything.

Matt Day made a saving tackle from behind, which earned him a yellow card, in the closing minutes.

Unhappy United fans booed at the final whistle. There had been no faulting the United players endeavour, but when it comes to putting together wins on any kind of consistent basis, they keep falling short.