OXFORD United will play in the second tier of English football for the first time in 25 years next season.
The U’s finished fifth in Sky Bet League One, edged Peterborough United 2-1 on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals, and then beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 in the play-off final at Wembley.
We picked out nine games that were key for United during the regular season.
READ ALSO: Behind the scenes from an unbelievable week for Oxford United
AUGUST 15: DERBY COUNTY (A)
The league campaign under Liam Manning began with a 2-0 defeat at Cambridge United, before a narrow 1-0 win at home to Carlisle United.
Mark Harris scored the winner against the Cumbrians, and bagged himself a brace as the U’s won 2-1 at Derby County.
The result sent a statement to the rest of the league, that United meant business, with three points against Barnsley and Charlton Athletic to follow in the next two matches.
NOVEMBER 11: LEYTON ORIENT (A)
Manning’s 29-game spell as U’s head coach came to an end when he left for Bristol City on November 7.
That evening, interim boss Craig Short oversaw a 5-0 victory against Chelsea Under-21s in the EFL Trophy, but a more important show of strength was to come four days later.
A Ruben Rodrigues double, with a Billy Bodin diving header in the middle, put United 3-0 up at Brisbane Road, and although Orient pulled two goals back, the U’s held on, to spark joyful scenes on the pitch and with the away support at full-time.
DECEMBER 16: BURTON ALBION (H)
Des Buckingham returned to his hometown club on November 16, and endured a tricky start, with a 2-0 loss at Cheltenham Town, goalless draw at home to Bolton, 3-0 defeat at Peterborough, and 1-1 draw at Reading, before claiming his first three points as head coach.
They came in a 3-0 victory at home to Burton Albion, as Rodrigues netted a brace, and Marcus McGuane sealed the win late on.
JANUARY 1: CHARLTON ATHLETIC (A)
Oisin Smyth’s late stunner from range helped an injury-hit United begin the calendar year the right way.
The U’s had to come from behind though, after Chem Campbell gave the home side the lead after five minutes.
Harris equalised midway through the first half, for his first league goal in four and a half months, kickstarting a run of seven strikes in nine games.
Smyth’s sumptuous dipping effort from 30 yards out secured three points for United with five minutes to go.
MARCH 2: PORTSMOUTH (A)
It may have been a defeat at the league leaders, but the U’s left Fratton Park proud of how they went toe-to-toe with Portsmouth, and were unfortunate not to win the game.
Callum Lang made it two goals in two games against United for Pompey this season, when he struck after just two minutes.
However, Cameron Brannagan brought the U’s level from the penalty spot four minutes later, after a foul on Owen Dale.
Christian Saydee, on as a substitute, restored the Portsmouth lead midway through the second half though, when he latched onto a ball through the middle and finished past Jamie Cumming.
MARCH 12: BOLTON WANDERERS (A)
Arguably the most important result of the season, and the biggest turning point, came in United’s heaviest defeat.
Wing backs Nathanael Ogbeta and Josh Dacres-Cogley ensured the hosts had a two-goal lead at the break, before a ruthless 10-minute spell saw the Trotters net three more times in the second period.
George Thomason, Aaron Collins and Josh Sheehan all struck on what was a humiliating night for the U’s in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
What the defeat did though, was allow Buckingham to properly implement his style and tactics upon the team, creating a fresh start for the group.
MARCH 16: PORT VALE (A)
It was essential that the U’s responded in the right manner after the Bolton hammering, and they did just that with a controlled victory at Port Vale.
Ciaron Brown gave United the lead when he smashed in from a corner, before Josh Murphy doubled the U’s advantage four minutes into the second half with a wonderful effort from a short corner.
APRIL 13: PETERBOROUGH UNITED (H)
After 4-0 wins against Fleetwood Town and Burton, United then turned on the style with a 5-0 thrashing of the Posh.
Harris put the U’s in front from the penalty spot before the 20-minute mark, with the lead doubled by Murphy just after half an hour had been played.
Rodrigues netted his first goal of the afternoon with seven minutes to go until the break, and made it a double with a lovely diving header just before an hour had been played.
Bodin put the icing on the cake just before stoppage time when his audacious lob sailed over Jed Steer and into the back of the net.
In reality, it could’ve been more for United who hit the post in the first half via Dale, and late on through Greg Leigh.
APRIL 27: EXETER CITY (A)
The U’s knew their play-off hopes were out of their control going into the final day of the season, but did what they had to, and with results elsewhere going for them, they were able to sneak into the top six.
Harris gave United the lead with 12 minutes on the clock, before a Brannagan penalty five minutes before half-time doubled the lead.
Millenic Alli ensured it would be a nervy second period when he scored seven minutes after the break, but the U’s held on and completed the job.
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