Will Lankshear scored twice as Oxford beat Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 in the battle of the already-relegated Championship clubs at the Kassam Stadium.
Oxford’s relegation had been confirmed earlier in the afternoon when Charlton beat Hull, following on from West Brom’s goalless draw against Ipswich, meaning that United’s two-year stay in the second tier was over.
With one match of the season to go, Wednesday still have only one victory to their name, and they were comprehensively outplayed by Oxford.
Lankshear put Matt Bloomfield’s team into a sixth-minute lead when he met Stan Mills’ low cross from the right with a skilful flick past keeper Pierce Charles at the near post.
The Tottenham loanee then took his tally for the season to 12 – 11 of them in the Championship – with a curling 25-yard shot over Charles and into the top corner in the 27th minute.
Former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Will Vaulks made it three with a thumping left-footed shot, after controlling the ball neatly with his right, in the 66th minute – his first goal of the campaign.
Substitute Will Grainger pulled one back for the Owls on 72 minutes with a smart 20-yard shot high into the net.
Yet Oxford restored their three-goal advantage a minute later when Myles Peart-Harris swivelled and shot past Charles from 14 yards.
A run of three straight wins in March had given the U’s real hope of staying up but successive 1-0 defeats to Derby and Wrexham earlier this month in the end proved fatal.
The Owls had known their fate for months, yet their fans still filled out the 1,500-capacity away section, dozens of them dressed as bananas.
It was a fine low cross from Mills that set up the chance for Lankshear who produced a finish to match.
As the home side dominated, only a superb block by Nathaniel Chalobah prevented Michal Helik from making it 2-0.
Lankshear did soon double Oxford’s lead, however, with his brilliant individual effort.
Jamal Lowe delivered Wednesday’s first effort on target with a shot that Jamie Cumming got right behind.
Before the break, Charlie McNeill produced a smart turn to outfox two markers, and he was unlucky to see his shot hit the outside of the post.
Aidomo Emakhu’s pass gave Lankshear a glorious opportunity to complete his hat-trick, but the striker could not beat Charles who saved high to his left.
The Owls also had the ball in the net early in the second half, but it was ruled out for a foul on Cumming.
The managers
Oxford’s Matt Bloomfield:
To follow…
Sheffield Wednesday’s Henrik Pedersen:
To follow…
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