Carlisle 0-2 Oxford: Oxford maintain promotion push

Oxford's quest for a Sky Bet League 2 automatic-promotion place will go down to the final day of the season despite beating Carlisle 2-0.

Goals from Chris Maguire and Liam Sercombe kept Oxford in third place, but Bristol Rovers' win at York kept them a point behind with one match remaining.

Oxford, who host Wycombe next week, were handed a dream start when Carlisle gave away a penalty in the fourth minute after Luke Joyce fouled Maguire in the area as the U's player was shaping to shoot. Maguire stepped up to send Mark Gillespie the wrong way from the spot.

Despite the absence of 26-goal striker Kemar Roofe, who failed a late fitness test, U's were dangerous on the break against a fragile looking Carlisle defence and Callum O'Dowda twice and then Josh Ruffels failed to hit the target.

It was only some wayward finishing that prevented Oxford 's pacy attackers from putting a very open game to bed in the first half as Carlisle tried to respond with a whipped low drive by Joyce which flew just wide of the left-hand post.

Carlisle improved in the second half and after Danny Grainger's penalty claims were turned down, Danny Hylton cleared off the line as Joyce drove in a fierce low shot.

Substitutes Jack Stacey and Alex Gilliead both went close for Carlisle, but Oxford doubled their lead in the 74th minute when O'Dowda played in Sercombe who coolly drilled his shot into the bottom corner from the right of goal.

Gillespie tipped a rasping Jordan Bowery drive against the post as Oxford's 2,283 travelling fans almost saw their side cap it off with a third goal.