Oxford United have lost ground on the playoffs after their heaviest defeat of the season at Peterborough United.
Karl Robinson’s side were a goal down by the break, but Posh added another three despite being reduced to ten men in the second half.
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Robinson made three changes from the side that played 120 minutes against Newcastle United on Tuesday night. John Mousinho replaced Elliott Moore In defence, while James Henry and Matty Taylor returned from their respective injuries, coming in for Nathan Holland and Jamie Mackie.
Simon Eastwood started in goal behind a back four of Josh Ruffels, Mousinho, Rob Dickie and Sam Long.
Alex Rodriguez Gorrin sat in midfield behind Cameron Brannagan and Henry, with Mark Sykes and Marcus Browne as the wingers while Taylor led the line.
The game started slowly in the breezy conditions, with Browne’s 25-yard effort, which sailed over, the first real chance after six minutes.
Oxford looked the more comfortable side on the ball and had large spells of possession, but just lacked the final ball in the final third.
But Peterborough, who are the league’s top goalscoring side, started to find a way into the game. Back to back corners were dealt with by the U’s defence but the visitors knew the opposition was always a threat.
Ivan Toney, who is the Posh’s top goalscorer this season, saw a central free-kick hit the wall, while Browne fired a free-kick just wide from a similar range.
It was on the half an hour mark where Eastwood was first tested. Sammie Szmodics found space in the box but his effort was straight at the U’s number one.
At the other end, Browne fired another long-range effort wide before Siriki Dembele stole the ball from Dickie but also saw his shot sail off target.
But just minutes later it was that man that gave the Posh the lead. Brannagan lost the ball in midfield and Dembele was played through before slotting past Eastwood.
A few minutes later, Long and then Gorrin twice were on hand to clear off the line as Peterborough looked to add a second before the break.
In first-half stoppage time, Mousinho saw a header from a free-kick saved by Christy Pym for his first stop of the afternoon.
Posh started the second half the way the ended the first. Toney beat Ruffels and Mousinho in the air before being denied by Eastwood.
That was the warning sign. Five minutes later, the U’s came close to an equaliser when Sykes’s header nearly found Henry, but Posh broke at pace and Toney tapped home Szmodics’ cross to double the host’s advantage.
But moments later and the hosts were reduced to ten men when Nathan Thompson caught Browne on the edge of the box, picking up a second yellow.
Henry fired the resulting free-kick over before Holland and Liam Kelly came onto the field.
Despite being a man down, Peterborough still looked the most threatening side. They won another corner, in which Henry almost headed into his own net before Toney won a free kick on the edge of the box. From the resulting set-piece, Toney pounced on the rebound to fire home a third for the ten men.
With ten minutes remaining, Pym saved another long-range effort from Browne before Holland fired over following good play by fellow sub Mackie.
Pym then denied Ruffels and the U’s pushed for a consolation, before expertly denying Mackie’s headed effort.
Brannagan, who scored the games only goal in the two previous meetings between the sides, struck from range, but it was easily saved.
But then deep into stoppage time, Posh launched another counter towards the Oxford goal which was finished off by Josh Knight.
