SAM Winnall returned to haunt Sheffield Wednesday as his late header gave Oxford United a dramatic 3-2 victory over his former club.

The substitute nodded home Billy Bodin’s corner six minutes from time to open his account for the season and earn the U’s a first win of 2022.

It looked like Winnall’s striker partner would grab the headlines for United, as Matty Taylor earlier scored twice to reach 50 goals for his home town team.

Both times, the No 9 hauled his side level, after Wednesday skipper Barry Bannan fired the visitors in front early on.

Taylor headed home in first-half stoppage-time, before levelling again moments after Owls substitute Josh Windass made it 2-1 less than three minutes after coming on.

You felt a winner was coming and Winnall was the man to provide it, sending United’s first five-figure crowd of the season home happy.

It sealed the U’s first league double over Wednesday since 1973/74, as Karl Robinson’s side climbed back into the Sky Bet League One play-off places.

United were hit by two late dropouts, with Gavin Whyte missing after his daughter tested positive for Covid and Ryan Williams unavailable following the birth of his second child overnight.

James Henry was not risked as he nursed an Achilles problem, meaning Robinson named just six substitutes and switched formation to 4-2-3-1.

The most notable change was in goal, with Jack Stevens playing for the first time since October 19 following his bout of Glandular fever, replacing Simon Eastwood.

Jordan Thorniley started despite rumours of a recall by Blackpool, while Cameron Brannagan and Marcus McGuane were the midfield two and Bodin was deployed in the No 10 role.

Wednesday named an unchanged line-up, with new signing Jordan Storey on the bench and Marvin Johnson at left centre back.

The former U’s man had the first effort on goal, firing straight at Stevens from 18 yards after six minutes, and his side took the lead from a similar position seconds later.

The visitors moved the ball quickly down the right and Liam Palmer laid it back to Bannan, who showed great technique to drive the ball into the corner.

United had gone behind for the fourth successive game and almost went 2-0 down after 14 minutes, only for Stevens to get down well to push away Jack Hunt’s header from Johnson’s cross.

The U’s were restricted to half-chances, with Taylor miscuing wildly from a tight angle and Sam Long flashing a header wide, while neither side were able to keep the ball for long periods.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing ballooned a shot into the Jim Smith Stand before Steve Seddon got away with one on the half-hour mark.

Lee Gregory’s smart flick sent Hunt racing into the box and the United left back brought the Owls player down from behind, but referee Will Finnie waved play on.

Wednesday were creating all sorts of problems down their right flank and wing back Hunt crossed for an unmarked Sylla Sow in the 32nd minute, with Long making a crucial box.

Brannagan then had a fierce effort from range stopped on the line, Hunt taking a whack as he cleared the ball, and Robinson used the break in play to switch systems.

Nathan Holland joined Taylor up front in a 3-5-2, with Seddon and Mark Sykes wing backs, and the hosts hauled themselves level in first-half stoppage-time.

Holland did well to keep possession on the left and laid the ball back to McGuane, who curled in an inviting cross for Taylor to nod back across goal and inside the post.

Luke McNally came on for Elliott Moore at the break and the early stages of the second half were scrappy, as both sides tried to take control.

Bailey Peacock-Farrell bravely dived on Sykes’ cross after the auxiliary wing back was played in by Bodin, before Stevens got down quickly to stop Massimo Luongo’s shot.

But the introduction of Windass in the 58th minute sparked the game back into life.

The substitute made an instant impact, making a clever run off Thorniley to latch onto Gregory’s lay-off and fire under Stevens to send the sold-out away end wild.

Their celebrations were short-lived, as Taylor levelled for a second time with a milestone goal.

The U’s came forward straight from kick-off and Holland’s shot rebounded into the path of the striker, who only had Peacock-Farrell to beat.

The Owls goalkeeper blocked the first effort, but the ball fell kindly for United’s No 9 to smash home on the line.

It was all to play for and Sykes was the next player to go close, taking Holland’s pass and seeing a shot from 18 yards tipped behind by Peacock-Farrell, before Seddon’s volley from the resulting corner was blocked.

Winnall replaced Holland with 16 minutes left, with Jaden Brown coming on for Mendez-Laing moments later.

With United pushing hard, the stage was set for a hero and the former Owls man took his chance in the closing stages.

Bodin sent a corner into the six-yard box and Winnall raced across his man to plant a header past the helpless Peacock-Farrell.

Gregory headed over and Bannan had two efforts blocked in the seven minutes of stoppage-time, but United defended heroically to close out victory.

Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Stevens, Long, Moore (McNally 46), Thorniley (Mousinho 87), Seddon, McGuane, Brannagan, Sykes, Bodin, Holland (Winnall 74), Taylor.

Unused subs: Eastwood, Forde, Agyei.

Booked: Taylor.

Sheffield Wednesday (3-5-2): Peacock-Farrell, Palmer, Hutchinson, Johnson, Hunt, Dele-Bashiru (Paterson 87), Luongo, Bannan, Mendez-Laing (Brown 76), Gregory, Sow (Windass 58).

Unused subs: Wildsmith, Storey, Byers, Berahino.

Booked: Hunt, Bannan.

Referee: Will Finnie.

Attendance: 10,071 (1,444 visitors).