Cambridge United came back from a two goal deficit for the first time since playing Brentford in September, but it was all in vain as Oldham took advantage of a poor U's performance to take all the points. Martin Butler's goal before half-time provided a platform for a rampaging second half but after pulling the score back to 2-2 United conceded a third, only to almost snatch an undeserved point at the death.

Roy McFarland named an unchanged side to face Oldham in the league for the first time in 15 years, with the only change to the 16 who were on duty against Crystal Palace being Neil Mustoe on the bench instead of Alex Russell.

United got off to a poor start, looking nothing like the side who dominated Palace eight days ago. The early action saw a fifth minute free kick from the veteran John Sheridan glanced wide by Lee Duxbury, and in the eighth minute Neil Mackenzie's snap shot from the edge of the area was comfortably wide. A minute later Jason Kavanagh played a good ball in to John Taylor whose shot on the turn was well held by Kelly, but after just 11 minutes the visitors drew first blood through Mark Allott. Neil Adams' 30 yard through ball found Allott looking suspiciously offside, but the young striker made progress before firing past Marshall to end a barren spell.

After 18 minutes the defence were caught flat-footed as Allott picked up possession, he crossed to the far post and seemed to have put Whitehall in for a simple tap-in but Marc Joseph made a vital interception. Two minutes later Allott thought he had made it 2-0 when he thumped the ball home after the defence failed to clear Sheridan's free kick, but United were rescued by the linesman's flag. Then seconds later in the 21st minute Ian Ashbee's lob into the box bounced tantalisingly in front of Trevor Benjamin but Kelly held his nerve and bravely claimed the ball.

United were having a nightmare, especially down the right where Oldham were running Clive Wilson ragged, and there were gaps everywhere as the visitors threatened make hay. In the 29th minute Duxbury beat the offisde trap down the right and his cross found Allott 12 yards out, but his first time shot was brilliantly parried by Shaun Marshall. Moments later it was Whitehall's turn to get away down the right as the flag stayed down, but his cross was tipped off Duxbury's toe by Marshall.

Oldham had been completely dominant and the only surprise was that the scoreline was only 2-0 when Hotte's 34th minute cross from the left was headed over Marshall by Lee Duxbury. But as the half wound down a goal from nothing handed United an unexpected lifeline. A free kick 20 yards out was tapped to Martin Butler who fired a rasping drive through the wall and past Kelly, and the pressure was on Oldham for the closing stages.

With a minute left Mackenzie found Butler on the edge of the area but his shot was cleared by a defender, then a Marc Joseph long throw found Benjamin in the box but he was crowded out by two defenders, and then in the minute of time added on Taylor met Mackenzie's free kick with a stooping header that was cleared. (Half-time 1-2)

United were attacking the Newmarket Road End after the break and made their usual bright start to the second half. Ashbee's 51st minute corner was cleared as far as Jason Kavanagh but the defender's 25 yard shot was always rising. Oldham countered with a short corner routine in the 54th minute that ended with Sheridan firing just wide. Then in the 62nd minute Ashbee's corner was met by a towering header from Trevor Benjamin that he placed off target.

Four minutes later Sheridan's clever free kick found Rickers in acres of space 25 yards out, his first time shot bounced awkwardly in front of Marshall as he went down to collect the ball and the young 'keeper recovered well to make a good spawling save. Neil Mustoe then entered the fray in place of Ashbee and moments later Mackenzie placed a deep cross onto the head of Paul Wanless, who had stolen unmarked into the box, but he only guided the ball into the goalkeeper's arms.

United scored their second unexpected and barely deserved goal after 72 minutes when a right wing cross found its way to Martin Butler in a crowded box who steered the ball inside the far post for his 17th of the season. Oldham broke away from the re-start and forced a brave save from Shaun Marshall before the ball was cleared, and as the pace of the game picked up the visitors exerted some severe pressure. Marc Joseph led the rearguard with a good block from Rickers in the 76th minute but it was in vain as two minutes later Sheridan's corner kick found Duxbury at the far post and he rose to head Oldham's third.

Bizarrely Marc Joseph was then almost immediately replaced by Scott Eustace before a couple of late key incidents. In the 81st minute the ball bounced up in the area and Wanless appeared to push it away with his hand, but despite Oldham's loud appeals a penalty was not given. Then in the 93rd minute, with United chasing the game, Oldham failed to clear a corner and Mustoe hit a shot from the edge of the area which hit Benjamin. He turned and fired in a shot in one movement but Sheridan was in the right place to produce an acrobatic and heart-breaking block on the line.

It was a game which United had all but handed to Oldham in the first half, and to be only two goals down before Butler scored his first was flattering in the extreme. The balance of power swung back and forth in the second half and Benjamin almost snatched a point at the end, but most fans will be wondering why striker Tom Youngs stayed on the bench while Roy McFarland tinkered with his midfield and defence.

Reporter Mark Johnson's man of the match was Martin Butler: "The difference - he raises the class of the side."