Oxford United fell to a 3-1 defeat at home to Queens Park Rangers despite a second-half rally.
Rangers took an early lead through Ronnie Edwards and extended it just before the break as Ole Romeny was unfortunate to divert the ball into his own net. Substitute Stan Mills gave the U's hope of a comeback with his first goal for the club midway through the second period, but the game was lost in stoppage time through Yang Min-Hyeok's breakaway strike.
Gary Rowett named an unchanged line-up from the side that beat Sheffield United on Saturday, including the bench, so it was as you were for the U's, who were looking to extend the gap on the teams at the bottom.
QPR unfortunately hadn't read the script, and from the game's first corner Edwards rose to head the ball past Jamie Cumming's outstretched hand to give them a priceless 7th-minute lead.
United were rocked a second time just a few minutes later, when Ciaron Brown made an excellent block but appeared to twist his knee in the process and had to be replaced by Joe Bennett: the first time Brown has missed any league minutes this season.
After these early shocks it took some time for the U's to find their feet but they gradually came back into the game and from one Will Vaulks long throw the ball was cleared as far as Cameron Brannagan, who volleyed the ball goalwards, forcing Paul Nardi into a flying save.
However, United were unable to create any further chances and the visitors made it 2-0 shortly before half time, when they launched the ball into the Oxford area and Cumming parried it against Romeny only for the rebound to bounce into the net to give United a mountain to climb.
On the hour, Oxford were forced into another change as Hidde ter Avest limped off to be replaced by Mills. His introduction had an immediate effect as he latched on to a pinpoint Siriki Dembélé cross to head United back into the game with his first goal for the club since returning from Everton in January.
It was another substitute, Rúben Rodrigues, who came close to an equaliser as he got on the end of Przemysław Płacheta's cross at the back post, but Nardi was in the right place to make the save.
United continued to apply the pressure and QPR were fortunate that Brannagan's drive from the edge of the area smashed against a defender.
However, as Oxford pushed forward looking for an equaliser, they were always vulnerable to the counter attack and as the game entered 11 minutes of stoppage time the damage was done by Yang, who fired home after United lost possession in midfield.
A disappointing defeat following the highs of Sheffield United on Saturday, but United's fate remains in their own hands. There are still five games remaining, starting on Saturday at Hillsborough as the U's look to take points from the other Sheffield side.
UNITED: Cumming, Brown (Bennett 12), Vaulks (Bradshaw 75), Płacheta, Brannagan, Harris (Rodrigues 74), Romeny (Goodrham 46), Nelson, Dembélé (Matos 90+2), ter Avest (Mills 61), Helik
Unused subs: Ingram, Long, El Mizouni
Attendance: 11,509 (including 1,521 from QPR)
Fifty/50 draw: Ticket number 46550 wins £1,316.50
Report: Martin Brodetsky; Photography: JasonPix, Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds, Darrell Fisher
