Goals from Ciaron Brown and Josh Murphy returned United to winning ways at Vale Park this afternoon as the U's kept a clean sheet and returned to the top six.

United made four changes to the side that started at Bolton on Tuesday. Sam Long returned to right back, while Joe Bennett was preferred on the opposite side of the defence. Billy Bodin came in to the midfield trio and there was a first start up front for Will Goodwin.

The first threat on goal came from United as Josh Murphy skipped past a challenge and pulled the ball back for Bodin, whose shot was cleared off the line by Dan Jones.

United made the breakthrough from their first corner, won after more good work from Murphy. Cameron Brannagan’s delivery wasn’t cleared and, in the aftermath, Brown swivelled and fired into the bottom corner.

Another Brannagan corner, again won by the irrepressible Murphy, was flicked on to the back post, where Elliott Moore was lurking. His flicked shot was palmed away by former Oxford keeper Connor Ripley to leave the U’s skipper holding his head in his hands.

United were now laying siege to the Vale defence, who defended valiantly. Murphy was again tormentor-in-chief and was brought down right on the edge of the area for Brannagan to fire the ball across the goal.

Goodwin came close to opening his account after Ripley came out of his area but didn’t get his clearing header right. He forced the United striker wide, and looked to have brought him down as they entered the penalty area together, but a goalkick was the outcome.

United started the second half on the front foot, with leading scorer Mark Harris on in place of Goodwin. It took just three minutes for the lead to be extended and it came from another Brannagan corner. This time he took it short to Murphy on the right. He cut the ball onto his left foot and curled it beyond Ripley to find the net and celebrated in front of the travelling fans.

The U's took the opportunity of a two-goal lead to slow the game down and for large spells the away side looked in total control. They should have extended their lead on a couple of occasions, first when Murphy found himself one on one with Ripley but he delayed his shot too long and the keeper blocked his shot, and second when Marcus Browne, making his first appearance of the year, crossed for Harris but the striker got his shot all wrong.

A lofted pass from substitute James Henry sent Brannagan away but he could only find the side netting, but that was a rare attempt on goal as Oxford saw the game out to return to the play-off places.

A great response to a difficult week and now there's a chance to take a breath with United next in action at Shrewsbury  on Good Friday. See you there.

Attendance 5,627, including 493 away.

Report: Martin Brodetsky, Photos: Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds