Oxford United fell to their first home defeat of the season this afternoon against Swansea City. A first-half goal from Žan Vipotnik was added to by Florian Bianchini in the 80th minute. Dane Scarlett pulled one back for United in the final minute of regular time but Oxford were unable to find a leveller.
United made three changes to the side that started at Sunderland last weekend, With Will Vaulks, Idris El Mizouni and Dane Scarlett dropping to the bench to be replaced by Josh McEachran, Owen Dale and Louie Sibley, making his first league start for the U's.
The opening stages were largely a case of the two sides sizing each other up, with neither keeper called into serious action. Swansea had the most clear-cut opportunity in the 17th minute when a Myles Peart-Harris header came back off the crossbar from a corner.
Swansea grew into the game and Oxford had to survive a spell of pressure during which a couple of left-wing crosses caused problems for United's defence, but the Swans were unable to capitalise until the 38th minute, when Vipotnik was on hand at the far post to convert a right-wing cross after an Oxford break was halted by Josh Key, with Tyler Goodrham threatening to get clear.
A United free kick just before half-time presented the Yellows with their first real opportunity of the game as the ball fell for Goodrham on the edge of the area. He cut inside and his shot was goalbound before diverted over by the head of Harry Darling. From the corner, Rúben Rodrigues rose highest but his header clipped the top of the bar and Oxford went into the break a goal down.
The second half was less than four minutes old when the U's had a glorious chance to equalise. Idris El Mizouni, on for Sibley at the break, sent in a peach of a cross that Mark Harris, just four yards out, somehow scooped over the bar.
Almost immediately Swansea came forward and Zapotnik forced Jamie Cumming into a fantastic save, tipping the ball over from a shot right in front of goal.
The visitors continued to have the majority of the possession, but Oxford stayed in the game and substitutes Dane Scarlett and Malcolm Ebiowei started to get the U's on the front foot. The two combined with 20 minutes remaining when Scarlett set Ebiowei through one on one with Lawrence Vigouroux, but the Crystal Palace loanee blazed wide.
Two minutes later it was Ebiowei who set up Scarlett, but the Spurs loanee delayed his shot and Swansea got back to make the block.
These misses proved costly when substitute Florian Bianchini took advantage of space of the left of the Oxford box to bury the ball past Cumming to make it 2-0 with ten minutes remaining.
It should have been game over, but United had other ideas and in the 89th minute a flowing move down the left ended with Scarlett receiving the ball in the Swansea area. He still had a lot to do but he managed to find the one space out of Vigouroux's reach to halve the arrears.
Greg Leigh came inches within making it 2-2 when he got on the end of a magnificent Vaulks cross but glanced his header six inches wide of the far post.
Fine margins, but it meant that Swansea became the first side this season to beat United on their own turf. There's an opportunity to put things right quickly, with the visit of Hull City on Tuesday 5 November. Watch out for fireworks.
UNITED: Cumming, Brown, Moore, McEachran (Vaulks 59), Harris (Scarlett 59), Sibley (El Mizouni 46), Nelson, Dale (Ebiowei 59), Goodrham, Rodrigues (Leigh 82), Kioso
Unused subs: Ingram, Long, Ter Avest, Goodwin
Attendance: 11,454 including 1,490 away
Fifty/50 draw: Ticket number 10072 wins £1,379
Report: Martin Brodetsky; Photography: JasonPix, Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds, Darrell Fisher
