Tatsuhiro Sakamoto produced a glorious far-post finish to give Coventry a 3-2 victory at Oxford and boost their Sky Bet Championship play-off hopes.
Frank Lampard’s side, who came into the match in fifth place, twice saw their lead wiped out before Sakamoto struck to give them a third triumph this season over Oxford, who have now gone seven games without a win.
What had been a fairly mundane first half was transformed by a breathless start to the second that included four goals and a missed penalty inside 18 minutes.
Coventry had opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Jack Rudoni got in between two defenders to head home Sakamoto’s right-wing cross.
Dutch forward Ole Romeny scored his first Oxford goal to level in the 53rd minute as he converted Przemyslaw Placheta’s low cross and that was the catalyst for the game exploding into life.
Five minutes later Ephron Mason-Clark put Coventry back in front when he capitalised on a misjudgment from Jamie Cumming to reach a bouncing ball before the keeper and head into the net.
U’s skipper Elliott Moore headed home at a corner to level it again at 2-2 in the 62nd minute.
The Sky Blues were then presented with the chance to go back in front again from the penalty spot after a spot-kick was awarded against Will Vaulks for pulling a Coventry player’s shirt at a corner.
However, Cumming made amends for his earlier error by superbly saving Ellis Simms’s penalty low down to his right.
Haji Wright, following up, smashed his angled shot against the bar before United desperately cleared the danger.
But Oxford fans’ delight did not last long. With the home defence stretched in the 70th minute, Jake Bidwell crossed from the left and Sakamoto finished beautifully.
City, who were unchanged from last weekend’s 2-1 win over Preston, started the game the sharper, Mason-Clark working space for himself to fire in a shot that was comfortably saved.
Oxford boss Gary Rowett made three changes to the side beaten 2-0 at West Brom, with skipper Moore returning from an abductor muscle injury.
The U’s had not scored for seven hours, and the lack of confidence was evident at times.
Polish winger Placheta tested keeper Oliver Dovin with an angled shot, and Romeny sliced a volley over the bar at the back post.
Oxford went close to a third goal late on, Moore heading one corner over and Dovin saving well from Michal Helik at another, but it was Coventry who went home with the points.
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