Match report from our sister site http://www.football.co.uk
Runaway pacesetters Northampton stretched their lead at the top of Sky Bet League Two to eight points with a 1-0 win at third-placed Oxford.
Marc Richards' penalty after 59 minutes made it eight league victories in a row for the Cobblers.
Richards earned the spot-kick himself by flicking back a high ball inside the box that Oxford defender Johnny Mullins handled.
And the 33-year-old striker hammered the penalty straight and high into the net, with keeper Benji Buchel diving to his left, for his 18th goal of the season.
Northampton had been the better side.
Jordan Bowery scooped Kemar Roofe's low right-wing cross over the bar from five yards early on for Oxford.
But at the other end, James Collins forced a diving save from Buchel after a deft backheel by Lawson D'Ath. And Collins went close again when his shot was deflected over at a corner.
Northampton ended the first half strongly, with Buchel pushing over Richards' glancing header from a well-worked free-kick.
Danny Rose had a header saved at the start of the second half as Chris Wilder's team continued to press, and John-Joe O'Toole was unlucky with a left-footed drive that smashed against the bar.
Oxford's Chris Maguire also hit the woodwork, with a rasping shot after 67 minutes, but few could deny that Northampton deserved the win.