Oxford United scored two late goals as they came from behind to edge past a struggling Wigan side.
Callum Lang opened the scoring in the second half after a fire at the ground caused a delay to the restart, but strikes from Sam Winnall and Elliott Moore gave the U’s another three points.
Here’s the #oufc team to face Wigan this afternoon. Thoughts U’s fans? pic.twitter.com/52NUbSBMBa
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) February 14, 2021
Karl Robinson made five changes from the side that won at Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night. Sam Long, James Henry and Elliot Lee all picked up knocks against the Gas so Anthony Forde, Liam Kelly and Brandon Barker all came in against the Latics.
Mark Sykes and Winnall also came in with Mide Shodipo and Matty Taylor dropping to the bench.
Jack Stevens began in goal behind a back four of Josh Ruffels, Rob Atkinson, Moore and Forde.
Alex Rodriguez Gorrin sat behind Cameron Brannagan and Kelly with Barker and Sykes as the wide men. Winnall made his first league start of the season.
Wigan began brightly, without creating any meaningful attempts at the Oxford goal. For the U’s, their first attempt came from an unlikely source as Gorrin struck from range, but Jamie Jones pushed it behind for a corner.
Barker looked lively down the left and he saw a toe-poked effort easily saved by Jones. Moments later, Atkinson timed a challenge to perfection as Land raced into the box.
Brannagan saw en effort go wide from a corner before Barker cut inside, only to see his attempt blocked.
Five minutes before the break, Barker appealed for a penalty after he went down in the box but the referee waved away the appeals.
Wigan were still in the game. Luke Robinson saw a ferocious effort sail just over the bar before Scott Wootton’s header went over from a Robinson delivery.
The second half was delayed by 40 minutes after one of the floodlights caught fire. It caused the stadium to be evacuated as the fire brigade dealt with the situation. The floodlights were turned back on and the players warmed up before the delayed restart.
Unsurprisingly, it took both sides some time to get back into the game. The best opportunity came when Atkinson burst through the Latics midfield before firing a low shot, only to be denied by Jones.
Then, Wigan took the lead. Barker lost the ball 30 yards from the Oxford goal and the ball eventually fall to Lang who smashed the ball past Stevens.
Oxford responded. Sykes found Winnall but the striker took to long on the ball and Wigan cleared. It forced Robinson into making changes and Lee and Shodipo came into the fold.
The attacking change had an impact. Barker found space on the left and he whipped a ball towards the back post which was met perfectly by the head of Winnall.
Oxford were level and could have taken the lead shortly later but Jones tipped away a long-range effort from Sykes.
However, from the resulting corner, Moore bundled home a second for the U’s. It looked like the chance had won’t before it was eventually played out to Sykes on the right. His delivery was met by Moore who put it in the back of the net.
The win moves Oxford up to seventh in the table, just one point off the playoffs.
