Oxford United suffered their second successive defeat as the U’s lost at home to Burton Albion.
A second-half hat-trick from Scott Fraser gave Burton their third successive away win. Cameron Brannagan and Anthony Forde turned the game the hosts’ favour after going one goal down, but a second-half collapse ended their chances of a win.
Your #oufc XI tonight: pic.twitter.com/0pbqRQln96
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) August 20, 2019
Karl Robinson made two changes from the side that lost at Blackpool on Saturday as Matty Taylor made his second debut, replacing Jamie Mackie, and Forde replaced Jamie Hanson as Robinson reverted to his preferred formation.
Simon Eastwood started in goal, and the back four was the same as the previous three league games with Josh Ruffels, John Mousinho, Rob Dickie and Chris Cadden.
Brannagan and Alex Rodriguez Gorrin were the usual midfield partnership, whilst Forde replaced Tariqe Fosu who made the bench. Ben Woodburn played in behind Taylor, with James Henry on the right.
Pre-match, it was all about Taylor, and despite failing to get on the score sheet, the U’s new number nine put in a good performance.
But Oxford made a slow start and could have been behind after fifteen minutes but Eastwood denied Nathan Broadhead. Shortly after, Liam Boyce missed from ten yards before Eastwood was on hand to stop a John Brayford header.
But, from the resulting corner, Burton took the lead after Fraser’s near-post delivery was headed by Jake Buxton.
The U’s almost levelled. Brannagan and Woodburn linked up well, but Taylor was denied by the Albion keeper.
On the stroke of half time, Taylor failed to reach a Ruffels cross, before Cadden’s effort was palmed away.
The U’s were coming into the game so half time could have halted their momentum, but it didn’t. Two minutes after the restart, a ball over the top found Taylor who fed the overlapping Forde. His low cross was firm, but Brannagan slammed in first-time from ten yards.
Shortly after, the U’s took the lead. Dickie found Forde who stayed composed to give Robinson’s side the advantage.
But the hosts lead didn’t last. Five minutes later, a loose ball in the Box fell to Fraser who smashed home the equaliser.
Nine minutes later, the midfielder hit again after his deflected effort regained the visitors lead, and Fraser completed his 23-minute hat-trick soon after, curling home from 20 yards just after Boyce himself had struck the post.
