Oxford United beat Lincoln 3-1 to go third in League One

Oxford Line-up and Stats

Oxford vs Lincoln Match Report

Oxford put the midweek disappointment against QPR to bed with a great win against Lincoln thanks to a superb hat-trick from midfielder James Henry, with the only blots on the copy book an injury to Jordan Thorniley and a late Lincoln penalty.

The U’s started strongly, with Whyte testing the keeper in the 9th minute, but it was Henry who broke the deadlock with a shot from outside the box past the out-stretched arms of Griffiths in the Lincoln goal.

Brannagan and Moore went close, and Oxford caught a break when a Lincoln corner was headed against the post by Jackson in the 21st minute.

In the 24th minute Henry repeated the trick with another shot outside the box with a cracking finish to double Oxfords lead. And he almost made the hat-trick in the 36th minute only to be denied by Griffiths, and manager Karl Robinson was pleased to have kept a clean sheet before the break.

Brannagan opened the second half by testing Griffiths from distance again, but it was Lincoln who piled the pressure on with a succession of corners and Stevens was resolute in stature. It was all comfortable for Oxford though, but a blow came in the 64th minute with an enforced substitution as Thorniley was injury. The defender has been ever present and a rock at the back so the U’s will be hopefully it’s not serious.

In the 73rd minute Montsma felled Matty Taylor in the box and the striker gracefully allowed Henry to step up. He duly smashed home the penalty to claim the match ball and seal the 3 points and send dominant Oxford to 3rd in the table.

Match winner Henry went off to rapturous applause in the 84th minute but the game still had life as within minutes sub McNally fouled Bishop to give a penalty, with Scully making no mistake for 3-1.

Elsewhere, Sunderland beat Wycombe 3-1 too, to take top spot.

League One Table