The League Two clash between Oxford United and Hartlepool United is goalless at half time.

The home side was strongest in the opening exchanges at the Kassam Stadium, Josh Ruffels surging into the away side's danger zone and winning a succession of corners in the first few minutes.

On the quarter-hour mark, the first real chance of the game came when Hartlepool's Luke James marauded into Oxford's area, but fired his shot wide of Ryan Clarke's left-hand post.

Just two minutes later, a fine shot by David Connolly from a narrow angle was turned aside by Scott Flinders for an Oxford corner.

A lull followed until about five minutes to go in the first half, when the Pools won five corners one after the other, the third needing a good save from Clarke to tip it over the bar.

Meanwhile, Jack Barmby saw his shot palmed away by the U's keeper in injury time.