Oxford United seized a vital 2-1 victory over managerless West Bromwich Albion at the Kassam Stadium, scoring twice from first-half set pieces before holding their nerve in a fraught Championship relegation clash.
Headers from Stan Mills and Will Lankshear put the U's two goals up inside 26 minutes, ending a home goal drought that had stretched beyond nine hours since Boxing Day, before substitute Ollie Bostock's heavily deflected strike halved the deficit and set up a tense second half in which Oxford survived sustained pressure to claim their first home win under Matt Bloomfield.
Bright Baggies start, ruthless Oxford response
Both sides went into the game knowing earlier results had opened a window of opportunity, with Portsmouth, Blackburn and Leicester all losing at lunchtime, yet it was Albion who settled fastest. West Brom forced a succession of early corners, pinning Oxford back, but the home defence reshuffled after Michal Helik was drafted in late to replace Christ Makosso at centre half coped well with the aerial bombardment.