Oxford United have recorded back to back wins as the U’s saw off promotion rivals Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Matty Taylor’s 14th goal of the season just one minute before the break was enough to give the U’s a valuable three points.
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Karl Robinson made one change from the side that thrashed AFC Wimbledon in the week, with Alex Rodriguez Gorrin returning after suspension, coming in for Mark Sykes.
Simon Eastwood sat behind a back four of Josh Ruffels, Elliott Moore Rob Dickie and Anthony Forde.
Cameron Brannagan, Marcus Browne and Gorrin were the central three, with Nathan Holland and James Henry out wide, while Taylor led the line.
In the early stages, Ipswich looked dangerous down their right-hand side. Top scorer Kayden Jackson found spaced and delivered a cross which was palmed away by Eastwood before Dickie cleared another delivery a few minutes later.
Jackson then eased past Moore but his cross couldn’t find another Town player. Will Keane then looked to get in but Dickie was on hand to nullify the danger.
Despite it being a messy opening for both sides, the hosts would have been happier. Oxford then looked to utilise their talented right-hand side but Henry’s cross was unable to reach Holland in the middle.
The on-loan West Ham winger then got robbed of possession and Jackson found former U’s loanee Luke Garbutt, but the left-back was unable to keep his shot down.
Ipswich then won back to back corners which the U’s eventually dealt with but the hosts had their tails up. A third corner followed moments later but Keane struck the side netting.
Oxford then had a rare opportunity against the run of play when Henry found space in the box but was unable to find an end product.
As half time approached, Oxford started to get a foothold on the game. Henry and Browne linked up well and the former struck from 30-yards, but it was straight at the Town goalkeeper.
Then just one minute before the break, the U’s found the breakthrough. A brilliant move which involved Ruffels, Brannagan and Henry sliced Ipswich open and Taylor was on hand to slot home his fourth goal in as many games.
Ipswich came into the second half with all guns blazing. Luke Woolfenden headed over from a corner inside 25 seconds before Jackson won another corner. From that dead ball, Josh Earl’s header was tipped over by Eastwood before Taylor headed away the next delivery.
At the other end, Forde and Henry combined down the right and Brannagan was found in the middle, but his effort was blocked behind for a corner to the visitors.
Oxford managed to keep hold of possession which took the momentum from the Tractor Boys’ early start, and a chance came to Holland but his effort was well wide.
Forde then pinged one forward which Taylor reached and brought down expertly, but he was denied by Tomáš Holý.
At the other end, Garbutt found space in the box but Browne turned the cross behind. The U’s dealt with the corner but Browne was booked after reaching the loose ball second as the visitors looked to spring a counter.
Oxford weren’t looking to settle for a one-goal lead. The U’s looked to launch a counter-attack every time they broke down a Town attack. One of which ended with Holland latching on to a Taylor pass to win a corner for the visitors, but Dickie fouled the defender from the resulting set-piece.
With ten minutes remaining, the 1,365 visiting fans thought they were about to see a second goal but Browne was unable to find Henry when the U’s were three on three in the oppositions half.
Second half substitute Dan Agyei won a corner for the visitors, but Browne fired over as the ball came out to the attacker.
But it didn’t matter as Robinson’s side held on to secure a massive three points to keep their playoff hopes alive.
