Oxford boss Des Buckingham felt the heavy schedule of three games in six days took its toll on his team as they were held 1-1 by Stevenage at the Kassam Stadium.

It means it is effectively no longer in Oxford’s hands to reach the League One play-offs because Lincoln are three points behind them with a game in hand and a superior goal difference.

Buckingham felt the decision not to award the U’s a penalty when Marcus Browne appeared to have been fouled by keeper Craig MacGillivray in the first half was crucial.

They had to come from behind as Stevenage went in front through a Sam Long own goal in the 32nd minute, Cameron Brannagan replying from the penalty spot on 58 minutes when Carl Piergianni fouled Ruben Rodrigues – though that appeared to have been outside the box.

Buckingham said: “To play three games in six days is a big ask.

“We had 26 shots but couldn’t get that second goal we needed.

“There was a clear penalty not given in the first half, and for us that’s the second game in a row that one hasn’t been given when it should have been. It was a huge moment in the game, and very frustrating.

“The referee told me he couldn’t see it, but the linesman was only 15 yards away and had a clear view.

“I’m delighted with the performance but ultimately we’ve got just the four points from these three home games, now we need to make sure we prepare right and get three in the last one at Exeter.

“When we looked to rearrange the Lincoln game we chose this week because it was a free week, then Sky told us they wanted to bring this Stevenage one forward and show it on the Friday night which meant three games in six days.

“There was nothing we could do about it, but had we known they were going to do that, we would have played the Lincoln game another week.

“It’s going to be a tight finish – I wouldn’t rule out Blackpool either, and they’ve got to play Barnsley.”

Stevenage had lost manager Steve Evans in the week, with Evans heading north to become Rotherham boss.

Caretaker boss Alex Revell said: “Steve always had two clubs very much in his heart – this one and Rotherham. Believe me, making the decision was probably the hardest thing he’s had to do, he said.

“I wanted to take today and make the players ready. I really enjoyed it because they gave everything.

“I’m very proud of what the lads did tonight.

“We had a great day yesterday in terms of training and getting ready and trying to get a few bits into them.

“They came to a really tough place and worked so hard for each other.

“In spells we created some half-chances, probably not enough, but it was about showing our togetherness as a club and our spirit.

“I think we showed why we have caused teams problems this season, especially with our energy and our workrate.

“The first penalty shout against us was a penalty and should have been given so we got away with that.

“But it doesn’t mean that something that started outside the box should be a penalty. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

Oxford squandered a great opportunity to strengthen their bid to reach the play-offs when they could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Stevenage.

It leaves them in sixth place in Sky Bet League One, three points ahead of Lincoln, who have a game in hand and superior goal difference.

Stevenage, who lost manager Steve Evans to Rotherham this week, held out for a point despite not having a shot on target – they scored through an own goal – and being under constant pressure.

Stevenage took the lead against the run of play in the 32nd minute when defender Sam Long, pressured by Kane Hemmings behind him, turned Nick Freeman’s left-wing cross into his own net.

The U’s felt they should have had a penalty when Ruben Rodrigues threaded a pass through to Marcus Browne, who looked to be fouled by goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray in a race to reach the ball.

But referee Tom Nield ignored Oxford’s appeals for a spot-kick.

They were awarded one in the 58th minute, though, when Carl Piergianni brought down Rodrigues on the edge of the box after the Portuguese forward got goalside of him. Cameron Brannagan converted.

The home side dominated the first half, with MacGillivray saving Rodrigues’s fierce drive, Long glancing a header just wide at a corner, and Mark Harris nodding wide from a good position.

The second half saw much of the same, MacGillivray saving from Finn Stevens and from Josh Murphy when he raced through.

Stevenage nearly won it late on as Long cleared off the line and then a shot was deflected off a defender and against a post.

Oxford came from behind to beat Wigan 4-2 in a thriller and record their first win in six matches.

Jordan Jones fired the Latics in front in the 41st minute, sprinting past Sam Long before sending a low angled shot into the far corner.

Josh Murphy drilled a shot past keeper Sam Tickle in first-half stoppage time to equalise for the U’s.

Cameron Brannagan put the home side ahead 10 minutes after the restart with a long shot that took a big deflection off Wigan captain Charlie Hughes to leave Tickle wrong-footed.

Sub Ruben Rodrigues added a third in the 76th minute, following up after Tyler Goodrham’s shot came back off the post.

Wigan pulled a second goal back four minutes later when Thelo Aasgaard powered home a header from Jonny Smith’s cross.

But Goodrham ended any last hope by lashing in a fourth in stoppage time.

Earlier, Brannagan struck a ferocious shot from outside the box that smashed against the bar.

Latics’ Josh Magennis was also thwarted by the woodwork, seeing his header pushed against the post by the Oxford keeper.

Barnsley head coach Neill Collins said he was “exceptionally proud” of his team after a 1-0 win over play-off rivals Oxford in atrocious conditions at the Kassam Stadium.

The winner came from a Sam Long own goal in the 29th minute when Long and Devante Cole both challenged for a wicked right-wing cross from Adam Phillips.

Oxford almost equalised six minutes from time when Cameron Brannagan’s 20-yard drive smashed against the bar.

Collins said: “I’m exceptionally proud of the team, probably as proud of the team as I’ve been since I’ve been Barnsley manager.

“I’m so proud of the togetherness of the team.

“They were terrible conditions but I thought we handled them well in the second half when the wind was against us. That’s something we haven’t done well at times but we did tonight.

“And apart from the shot that hit the crossbar, I thought we were comfortable, to be honest.

“In the first half we were excellent and in the second half we were very professional.

“It was a well-earned three points.

“It was one of those nights when we needed every member of the squad who started or came on to play their part.

“Yes, it’s nice to beat another team near the top, and Oxford have been in the top six all season.

“But if we’re going to achieve what we want to achieve we’re going to have to beat the top teams along the way.”

Fifth-placed Barnsley are now just four points off leaders Portsmouth with a game in hand in a congested pack at the top of Sky Bet League One.

Oxford boss Des Buckingham called it “a frustrating evening”.

His mood was not helped by losing Long to a head wound at the end of the first half, with the defender having only just returned to the team after nearly three months out injured..

“It was a horrible night for football and the game was decided by fine margins,” he said.

“They got the goal from a set-piece, but we had two very good opportunities in the first half.

“Then we obviously had Cam’s shot against the bar, and also in the second half we twice got into really good positions and just maybe needed better decision-making.

“Sam Long split his head from an elbow – he’s got a deep gash in his head so he’ll maybe be out for a couple of weeks.

“We’ve got some players coming back but we have 19 games to go and we’re after two more forwards to fire us forward for the second half of the season.

“It is disappointing losing to another team near the top but we spoke before the game and said that, whatever the result tonight, there will still be a long way to go, and there’ll be a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns.

“But we have two wonderful games coming up now to try to pick up points, against Bristol Rovers and Portsmouth.”

Barnsley strengthened their promotion bid with a 1-0 win at play-off rivals Oxford to avenge their defeat by the U’s earlier in the season and extend their unbeaten league run to 11 games.

It was an unfortunate return to the Oxford side for defender Sam Long after three months sidelined with injury.

Barnsley’s 29th-minute winner came when Long just got in front of Tykes striker Devante Cole and headed Adam Phillips’ wicked right-wing cross into his own goal.

Long had to leave the pitch with a head injury following a midfield clash moments later.

Both sides had good scoring opportunities before the goal.

Fin Stevens fired wide for Oxford from Mark Harris’ lay-off and John McAtee steered a Nicky Cadden cross wide at the near post for the visitors.

Barnsley also went close when a Cadden left-wing cross was carried by the wind and came back off the far post.

Cameron Brannagan was unlucky not to equalise six minutes from the end with a 20-yard drive that came back off the bar.

Oxford ended their three-game winless run in style as they breezed to a 2-0 victory at Lincoln in Sky Bet League One.

An early goal from Ciaran Brown, plus a goalkeeping howler from home custodian Lukas Jensen, saw the second-placed side dominate as they inflicted the first defeat of interim Imps boss Tom Shaw’s reign.

The visitors suffered a blow after just eight minutes when Sam Long had to be replaced by Stan Mills after injuring himself in fouling Jack Vale. However, they took the lead four minutes later, from their first attack, when Brown headed Cameron Brannagan’s near-post corner into the roof of the net.

Danny Mandroiu raced clear on an Imps counter-attack two minutes later, but with the Oxford defenders closing him down he opted to shoot from distance and saw his effort easily saved by James Beadle.

Lincoln goalkeeper Lukas Jensen palmed Mills’ effort wide midway through the first half, before Ruben Rodrigues fired into the side-netting for the visitors.

Jensen then expertly saved from Tyler Goodrham as Oxford began to run rings around the home side, with Mills also denied by Jensen just before the break.

A calamitous error by Jensen gifted Oxford their second goal after 64 minutes, when the Danish keeper attempted to catch Mills’ cross-cum-shot from the right but only succeeded in fumbling the ball into his own net.

City immediately responded, with Lasse Sorensen’s curler bringing a flying save out of Beadle, before Jensen tipped over from substitute Marcus McGuane late on.

Oxford United beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 in a fiery Sky Bet League One match that saw three red cards.

Billy Bodin finished superbly in the 13th minute to put United ahead.

Controlling Ruben Rodrigues’ chip with his chest to beat his marker, Bodin hammered the ball past Matthew Cox for his second goal of the season.

Rovers were reduced to 10 men in the 63rd minute when Jevani Brown collected a second yellow card for tripping Josh Murphy.

Oxford effectively sealed the points nine minutes from time with defender Sam Long nodding in at close range following Cameron Brannagan’s corner.

Aaron Collins pulled one back for The Gas on 89 minutes, rifling an angled shot high into the net.

Oxford then had two of their substitutes sent off in stoppage time.

Oisin Smyth was given his marching orders for two yellow cards, and moments later Stan Mills was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after a clash with Sam Finley.