Oxford United were beaten 3-0 at Peterborough United this afternoon as first half goals from Hector Kyprianou and Ricky-Jade Jones and a late strike from Ryan De Havilland moved the home side above them in the League 1 table.
The first half saw United under the cosh from the Posh and although the second half was much improved most of the damage had already been done.
James Beadle, undoubtedly man of the match, had already made a good save after 17 minutes to kick away a Jones drive, but on 24 minutes another good save to push away a low effort only went as far as Harrison Burrows, who squared the ball across the six-yard box for Kyprianou to apply a simple finish from close range.
Peterborough had scored 5 and 4 in their last two home games and looked dangerous every time they went forward. On 34 minutes they were two goals up when the dangerous Ephron Mason-Clark flicked on and Jones ran clear down the centre of the pitch. Beadle came to meet him but this time was powerless when Jones touched the ball past him and rolled the ball into the vacant net.
It could have been worse had Beadle not made two further good saves before the break, the second from Jones a great save by the on-loan Brighton keeper, but United had underperformed in the first 45 minutes and failed to muster a shot on target.
Things needed to improve and they did. There was a first glimmer of hope when McGuane tried his luck two minutes after the break, and United were better, but still not testing home keeper Nicholas Bilokapic enough.
There were appeals for a penalty when Billy Bodin was bundled over after another good cross from the excellent Murphy, whose introduction breathed new life into the U's, and a flying save from Bilokapic to claw away a fierce McGuane effort after an hour, but there were warning signs at the other end as the game became stretched.
Beadle needed to make another terrific save to deny Jones at his near post, then a similar one on the other side from Mason-Clark. The improvement from the away team was clear, but so was the fact that you cannot give a good side like Peterborough a two-goal lead, and in injury time Peterborough removed even the slenderest of doubts when David Ajiboye danced down the right and clipped the ball across for De Havilland to fly in and score the third.
In the end United could have little argument with the result.
What better way to react that a local derby at Reading on Tuesday?
See you there.
Att: 7,921
Away: 1,028
Report by Chris Williams, pictures by Darrell Fisher, Steve Edmunds, Steve Daniels, JasonPix and Rex Shutterstock