Fin Stevens came out on top against Matt Cox as the two on-loan Brentford players met in a feisty affair at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday. 

The game saw three goals and three red cards. Oxford United finished the match with just nine men but, more importantly, also the three points. 

Billy Bodin smashed past Cox in the Bristol Rovers after 13 minutes to give the home side the advantage. And it looked like a regulation fifth home win in six for the U’s was confirmed when Jevani Brown was shown a second yellow card just past the hour and Sam Long bundled home a second for the hosts nine minutes from time. 

However, Aaron Collins halved the arrears in the final minute of normal time before both Oisin Smyth and Stanley Mills were dismissed in stoppage-time to leave Oxford to see out the closing stages two players short. 

However, they hung on to open up a five-point gap between themselves and third in the Sky Bet League One table.

Stevens was replaced at half time while Cox played the full 90 minutes for Rovers. 

Oxford’s fixture at Reading this weekend has been postponed due to international call-ups, of which Stevens is one for Wales Under-21s, while Rovers, for whom Tristan Crama remains out injured, are also without a game for the same reason.

Rovers should be playing Exeter City this weekend, who welcomed back Ryan Trevitt following injury on Saturday. 

The midfielder returned to play the final 19 minutes of the Grecians’ defeat at home to Barnsley after three weeks out with an ankle injury.

It wasn’t the happiest of comebacks for Trevitt as John McAtee scored the only goal of the game in the 89th minute to hand Barnsley the victory. 

11th in the table, Exeter’s attention turns to the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night and a visit from Arsenal Under-21s. 

Paris Maghoma remains sidelined for a Bolton Wanderers side who slipped to sixth following a 3-1 defeat at home to Carlisle United on Saturday. Jordan Gibson’s hat-trick sunk the Trotters who should hopefully welcome Maghoma back when they return to action in a fortnight. 

Daniel Oyegoke played the final 18 minutes for Bradford City on Saturday as the Bantams recorded their first win in three. 

That run cost Mark Hughes his job last week, with midfielder Kevin McDonald taking charge for Swindon’s visit to Valley Parade. 

Bobby Pointon’s goal five minutes after the restart proved decisive and helped to lift the mood in west Yorkshire. 

14th in the table, Bradford travel to Grimsby in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night before a League Two visit to AFC Wimbledon at the weekend. 

Ben Winterbottom played both Welling United’s games this week. On Tuesday, he helped the Wings past Gosport Borough in an FA Cup third qualifying round replay – the hosts coming from behind to win 4-2 at Park View Road, in the process setting up a fourth qualifying round tie against Boreham Wood this weekend. 

Then on Saturday, there was late drama as both Welling and Farnborough netted in the final three minutes to share the points. 1-1 heading into the closing stages, TJ Bramble thought that he had won it for United only to see Farnborough equalise in the 90th minute through Daniel Gifford. 

That point leaves Welling 22nd in the National League South table a quarter of the way through the season.