Tyler Goodrham struck a brilliant 25-yard goal as Oxford came from behind to beat Preston 3-1 and inflict a first defeat for the Lilywhites’ new manager Paul Heckingbottom.
Danish striker Emil Riis gave the Lancashire outfit a third-minute lead, but Championship new-boys Oxford drew level in the 20th minute when Mark Harris scored for the fourth league game in succession.
Goodrham, 21, effected the turnaround with a stunning curling effort eight minutes into the second half after darting in from the right.
And after visiting defender Liam Lindsay was sent off 20 minutes from time for a second yellow card, Greg Leigh bagged a third Us goal, netting from close range after Peter Kioso headed Sam Long’s cross back across the six-yard box.
Preston, making their first visit to the Kassam Stadium, and in their first meeting with Oxford for 24 years, made the perfect start with Riis firing high into the net from close range.
It was a poor goal to concede for Oxford. Left-back Joe Bennett gave the ball away and although Stefan Thordarson’s effort from Sam Greenwood’s cross was blocked, Riis lashed the rebound home.
Heckingbottom’s men were a yard sharper in the early exchanges and they created other good opportunities as Greenwood drove over following a strong run and Us keeper Jamie Cumming saved low from Thordarson.
Oxford, still missing centre half and captain Elliott Moore through injury, were not helping themselves.
It needed a fine fingertip save from Cumming to keep out another shot from Riis after Long gave the ball away.
When Harris nodded the home side level from Josh McEachran’s chipped cross, it was from their first meaningful attack of the game.
United boss Des Buckingham brought on Sirike Dembele, a transfer deadline week signing from Birmingham, to replace the injured Matt Phillips, and the winger soon made an impact with a sudden burst of speed in one eye-catching move.
Oxford were improving all the time, and just before the break Kioso headed a corner narrowly wide.
The visitors went close at the start of the second half when Cumming parried Kaine Kesler-Hayden’s angled shot for a corner after a powerful run by Greenwood.
Home-grown talent Goodrham then sent the Oxford fans into raptures with his outstanding goal – the second Saturday running that the Us had struck in spectacular style after Harris’s 30-yard volley at Blackburn the previous week.
Lindsay was shown the red card for bringing down Harris – his second yellow of the afternoon – and Preston paid doubly for it because Cameron Brannagan’s free-kick was tapped in at the back post by Leigh.
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