Oxford United beaten at Wigan Athletic in Sky Bet League One

Stephen Humphrys gave the hosts a first half lead when he rounded off a smart counter-attack, while a Callum Lang free kick with 10 minutes to go ended any U’s hopes of getting anything from the game.

Tyler Goodrham replaced Billy Bodin in the only change from the side which drew 1-1 at home to Blackpool on Saturday.

United dominated the ball during the opening stages at the DW Stadium, with the first sight of goal coming shortly before the 10-minute mark.

A patient move saw Mark Harris lay the ball of for Marcus McGuane on the edge of the penalty area, with the midfielder forcing a parry out of Sam Tickle in the Latics goal.

Goodrham then brilliantly weaved his way up the pitch and played the ball to Stanley Mills on the right-hand touchline.

The Everton loanee cut inside and brought a low save out of Tickle with a left-footed effort.

The home side grew into the game though and opened the scoring at the end of a swift counter-attack.

The ball was worked to Humphrys in a dangerous area between Ciaron Brown and Greg Leigh.

Humphrys managed to get a yard on Leigh and finished with aplomb past James Beadle with 17 minutes played.

At the other end, Leigh charged forward and played a low ball across the box. Goodrham took over but fired his shot over Tickle’s crossbar.

Moments later, a deflected effort from Goodrham floated over the bar for a corner which came to nothing.

The U’s kept probing though and home skipper Charlie Hughes did superbly well to get in front of Harris and head away a dangerous Mills cross.

In the first minute of stoppage time at the end of the opening 45 minutes, Mills fired an effort at goal, however the strike lacked the required fizz to cause Tickle any serious problems.

Ruben Rodrigues saw a low shot held by Tickle early in the second half, while Thelo Aasgaard directed a header straight at Beadle.

The Brighton & Hove Albion faced a much tougher challenge moments later when he had to tip round the post a Martial Godo shot while at full stretch.

Rodrigues hit a 20-yard free kick into the wall and over for a corner, which eventually made its way to McGuane 25 yards out.

The midfielder struck a fierce, swerving effort, with Tickle brilliantly tipping the ball over his goal.

Liam Manning then made his first changes, as Josh Murphy and Bodin came on for Goodrham and Harris respectively.

Brown produced an exceptional sliding challenge inside his own penalty box after 69 minutes, as he got in front of Godo and won the ball just as the Fulham loanee looked to set himself and get a free shot on goal.

United made another double switch four minutes later, when Alex Gorrin and Gatlin O’Donkor replaced Josh McEachran and Rodrigues.

Gorrin’s introduction saw him make his first U’s appearance since the Emirates FA Cup win at Woking on November 16 last year.

Bodin’s first involvement saw him curl a 25-yard strike comfortably over Tickle’s crossbar.

United fell 2-0 behind though when Lang struck a brilliant free kick from the edge of the D.

Elliott Moore’s stray pass played the U’s into trouble, with Gorrin booked for fouling Godo.

Lang stepped up and executed the free kick perfectly, sending the ball past a helpless Beadle with 10 minutes to go.

Beadle was called into action twice in quick succession during stoppage time, first tipping over a Josh Stones effort after a rapid counter-attack, before making another save from the resulting corner.

Wigan Athletic (3-4-3): Tickle; Clare, Hughes, Morrison; Sessegnon, Shaw, Adeeko, Jones (McManaman 82); Godo (Stones 82), Aasgaard (Lang 74), Humphrys (Pearce 64).

Unused subs: Amos, Rekik, Magennis.

Booked: Adeeko, Shaw, Lang.

Oxford United (3-4-2-1): Beadle; Long, Moore, Brown; Mills, McGuane, McEachran (Gorrin 73), Leigh; Rodrigues (O’Donkor 73), Goodrham (Murphy 63); Harris (Bodin 63).

Unused subs: Eastwood, Thorniley, Stevens.

Booked: Gorrin.

Referee: David Rock (Hertfordshire).

Attendance: TBC (TBC away).