OXFORD United suffered a second successive League Two defeat as they couldn’t overcome ten-man Torquay at the Kassam Stadium last night.

They missed a stackful of chances after the Gulls had Lloyd Macklin sent off in the 17th minute.

By then, Chris Wilder’s men were already one down to an own goal by the returning Damian Batt in only the fourth minute.

Against ten men, Oxford passed it to death, but there was no end product.

James Constable squandered a great chance to level on 73 minutes when his fine first touch from Sam Deering’s threaded pass sent him clear.

But last season’s top scorer snatched at the opportunity, and blazed over from ten yards out.

And Torquay sub Billy Kee then rubbed salt in the wounds by lashing in a low drive in the 89th minute to make it 2-0.

Kee had only been denied moments earlier by a superb double save from Ryan Clarke.

And Clarke produced a series of heroics to keep denying Torquay players on the break in the closing minutes.

There were four changes to the side beaten heavily at Bradford, with two enforced.

As expected, Harry Worley and Leigh Franks took over from the suspended Mark Creighton and Jake Wright, and also coming in were Damian Batt at right back, and Matt Green as the right-sided striker.

Torquay took to the field in all yellow, which was a bit of a kick in the teeth to home fans who heard the Devon supporters chanting “Yellow Army” and “Come on You Yellows”.

Oxford’s confidence might have been fragile after Valley Parade, and they got off to the worst possible start as the Gulls went in front through an own goal in the fourth minute.

Anthony Tonkin gave away a free-kick needlessly, and when Kevin Nicholson whipped it in, striker Elliot Benyon challenged for it in the air, but it came off Batt’s head and dropped just inside the far post.

There were a few moans and groans from the home crowd, in the ensuing minutes, at misplaced passes and moves not coming off.

But the U’s gradually started to play well again, and plenty of chances were created.

Tom Craddock dribbled past two inside the box, but couldn’t get a shot away, and the ex-Luton man was too fancy with a backheel that didn’t come off after a promising attack.

United came very close to levelling when James Constable laid the ball off and Craddock’s measured sidefooted shot just drifted beyond the far post.

Then on 17 minutes, Torquay were reduced to ten men. Lloyd Mackin seemed to kick out at Tonkin near the touchline by halfway, and when ref Darren Sheldrake ran over and immediately brandished a red card, Mackin didn’t contest the decision, and didn’t have far to go, straight down the tunnel.

Gulls’ former Oxford striker Chris Zebroski might have turned in a right-wing cross from the lively Rose, who was giving Tonkin a tough time.

But after that, it was nearly all Oxford.

Worley headed over, Constable fired a shot on the turn just wide, and went close with a glancing header and then visiting keeper Scott Bevan made two excellent saves to prevent an equaliser.

He made a one-handed saved from Constable, five yards out, when it seemed the centre forward had to score, from Simon Heslop’s fine cross.

And moments later, he arched back to tip over Josh Payne’s curling 20-yard shot.

For the second half, Wilder brought on Alfie Potter and Sam Deering in a switch to 4-4-2, with Craddock supporting Constable centrally.

Too often, though, the play was too intricate and they couldn’t get behind the visitors’ defence.

And despite having all the possession, scoring opportunities disappeared as Torquay got everyone behind the ball.

With just over 20 minutes to go, on came Jack Midson, Franks making way to give United plenty of attackers.

They huffed and they puffed, but Bevan didn’t have that many shots to save.

And Torquay almost scored a second on the break. Deering gave the ball away and in a flash Paul Buckle’s men had three against one – but Clarke stood up to save Eunan O’Kane’s blast.

But the keeper was left horribly exposed at the end when Kee struck No 2.