Oxford United's troubled run continues after a 3-0 defeat at home to Bristol Rovers this afternoon.
First-half goals from Scott Sinclair (from the spot) and Aaron Collins, plus a towering header from Luca Hoole in the second half, condemned the U's to a seventh defeat in eight games as the Pirates put their own poor run of form firmly behind them at the Kassam Stadium.
Despite hitting the bar after a melee in the six-yard box after six minutes, United were 2-0 down before the half-hour mark and rarely looked like turning things around after two quick goals from the visitors.
From their first attack Rovers went ahead when new U’s Skipper Cameron Brannagan slid in but caught Lamare Bogarde and Sinclair did the rest from the spot, sending Simon Eastwood the wrong way to make it 1-0.
Six minutes later it was 2-0 as Sinclair again did the damage, this time running free down the right and providing a perfect low cross for Collins to tap home at the near post.
Injury had already been added to insult by then, with Sam Baldock limping off for Gatlin O’Donkor before a goal had been scored, but the Gas’s two-goal blast had deflated the U’s, who were in desperate need of a moment of inspiration after a flat first half.
O'Donkor almost found it with a low effort immediately after the break as United came out with more fire in their bellies. Joseph dragged wide after 52 minutes and half-time sub James Henry drove into the body of keeper James Belshaw as the game began to be played increasingly in the Rovers half. Tyler Goodrham and Ateef Konate were given 25 minutes to try and lift things further, but instead it was Rovers who killed the game off when Hoole met a 75th-minute corner to power the ball past the helpless Eastwood once more.
No excuses. A poor afternoon, simple as that.
Att: 8,437
Away: 1,437
Polythene UK Fifty/50
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds and Darrell Fisher