Oxford United have ended their run of five league games without a win as the U’s eased past Tranmere Rovers at the Kassam Stadium.
A penalty in each half from James Henry and a second-half strike from Cameron Brannagan gave Karl Robinson’s side all three points.
It’s also just the second clean sheet of the season for the U’s, who headed into the game with the third-worst goals conceded in League One.
Your #oufc XI this afternoon: pic.twitter.com/0ugDVmifzd
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) September 14, 2019
The U’s made three changes from the side that lost at Fleetwood. Simon Eastwood began in goal, and Robinson intended to field the same back four of Josh Ruffels, Elliott Moore, Rob Dickie and Chris Cadden. But, Moore suffered a back spasm during the warm-up and was replaced by John Mousinho.
Alex Rodriguez Gorrin and Brannagan remained in midfield, whilst Tariqe Fosu and Ben Woodburn returned on the left and centrally respectively. Henry began on the right, with Jamie Mackie leading the line.
But it was Rovers that could have found an early lead. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy drilled a ball into the danger zone and it fell for David Perkins, but Gorrin made a magnificent block to deny him.
Fosu, making his first start after a recent hamstring strain, was a bright spark as the U’s searched for an opener. The winger struck the side netting, and moments later he led a swift counter-attack from a Tranmere corner before winning a penalty after Liam Ridehalgh fouled him.
Henry stepped up to score, sending Scott Davies the wrong way.
Henry could have added a second a few minutes later, but his curling effort sailed just wide.
Without creating many more goalscoring opportunities before the break, the U’s looked comfortable on the ball and their dominance was apparent.
The U’s started the second half slowly. Dickie had a header from a corner tipped over by Davies, but the pressure began to take its toll on the visitors.
Twenty minutes from time, the U’s doubled their advantage. Fosu was involved again, showing composure in the box before setting up Brannagan who struck home his fifth goal of the season.
Shandon Baptiste and Matty Taylor came on from the bench, and it was the former who was fouled in the box in stoppage time to win another penalty. Henry stepped up again, this time choosing the opposite corner, to give the U’s their second league win of the season.
