FOREST Green's Terry Burton celebrated the birth of a new baby daughter and a rare start in goal to provide the spark needed to help Jim Harvey's side to a 0-0 draw against in-form Oxford United at the New Lawn today.

Burton, in for the out-of-sorts Ryan Robinson, superbly denied Oxford substitute Matt Green in added time to blunt Oxford's quest for three straight Blue Square Premier victories. However, the U's will feel disappointed not to have claimed a penalty when John Hardiker blatantly wrestled the impressive Justin Richards to the floor inside the opening minute of the second-half. However, Harvey was pleased to see his side stem back-to-back defeats, which had seriously dented his side's play-off aspirations.

"I couldn't fault my players effort and application today, " said Harvey.

"We were dogged and kept going and worked extremely hard, and at the end of the day a draw was probably a fair result against a very good Oxford side."

Earlier, Adam Murray's corner saw Barry Quinn nearly gave the U's the perfect start with a header on four minutes only for Burton to block superbly. Rovers riposte was immediate. Their trademark neat football was evident on the unforgiving surface.

Ishmael Welsh was proving a first-half menace to the U's with his neat wing-play. But it was midfield play maker Simon Clist who teed-up Stuart Fleetwood to fizz over from 20-yards. Rovers should have nosed ahead on 26 minutes. Jamie Pitman and Clist linked for Jonathan Smith to play in Danny Carey-Bertram. The former Hereford United striker skipped beyond Billy Turley but his cross across the face of goal from an acute angle failed to see anyone apply the scoring touch.

Oxford hit-back with Eddie Anaclet going close. Meanwhile, Richards should have done better as he broke the offside trap, but his weak cross-shot was cleared by the covering Mark Preece. Rovers upped the tempo. Michael Brough watched his looping header drop over from a Welsh cross and then, before the break Turley did well to claw away Preece's header from a Clist corner.

58 seconds into the second half Hardiker chose to inexplicably wrestle Richards to the ground, but Rovers were awarded a free kick instead. Four minutes later Smith's header was turned onto the post from Clist's pin-point corner. Oxford enjoyed a purple-patch. Anaclet watched his curling right-footed effort swiped superbly away by Burton on 51 minutes, Richardssaw his 20-yard strike saved on 57 minutes before Craig McAllister's surging run and cross on almost made the breakthrough that United were chasing.

Sensing three points manager Darren Patterson ushered on former Lincoln winger Ryan Semple for his debut with 20 minutes to go and striker Matt Green replaced McAllister. Nonetheless, two goal saving tackles from Luke Foster and Quinn in the 80th-minute denied Fleetwood a late chance, but it was the U's who almost snatched it at the death. Green slipped past Hardiker, but was denied by a strong one-handed Burton save.

Forest Green: Burton, Hardiker, Preece, Brough, Tonkin, Welsh (Afful 72), Pitman, Clist, Smith (Dodgson 73), Carey-Bertram (Rigoglioso 72), Fleetwood.

Subs Not Used: Ashford, Stonehouse.

Booked: Dodgson.

Oxford Utd: Turley, Clarke, Quinn, Foster, Howard, Anaclet (Semple 72), Murray, Hand, Blackwood, Richards, McAllister (Green 76).

Subs Not Used: Odubade, Day, Hutchinson.

Booked: Howard, Murray.

Att: 1,624 Star man : Terry Burton Ref: C Sarginson (Staffordshire).