OXFORD United romped their way to a second consecutive 4-0 win as they dominated from start to finish away at Burton Albion.

Mark Harris gave United the lead just after the midway point of the first half when he coolly rounded off a counter-attack, while his second goal of the afternoon opened the floodgates for the U’s, as Josh Murphy and James Henry also netted in a scintillating 12-minute spell.

Des Buckingham made just the one change to the side which breezed past Fleetwood Town on Easter Monday, as Greg Leigh replaced Joe Bennett, who picked up a minor knock in training. Fin Stevens returned to the bench, in place of Leigh.

The condition of the pitch on the flanks, plus blustery weather, made it difficult for much of the game to be played on the turf, and chances were at something of a premium in the first half.

Ruben Rodrigues had the first attempt of the match, when he lined up a shot from distance after two minutes, however the strike flew over Max Crocombe’s goal.

Minutes later, a rapid U’s counter-attack saw Harris play through Murphy, whose touch was heavy. However, the winger received possession shortly afterward, and bent a shot just wide from 20 yards after cutting infield from the left-hand side.

Harris opened the scoring after 24 minutes, following a huge mistake at the back from the Brewers.

Tolaji Bola mistimed his header, allowing Harris to run in on goal from the halfway line, with the Welsh striker keeping his composure, to take the ball round Crocombe and apply the finish.

There was a blow for United 10 minutes later though, when Cameron Brannagan was forced off after receiving treatment. Josh McEachran came on in his place, in a like-for-like switch.

The U’s kept going though, and one move saw Harris sweep the ball out to Owen Dale on the right, however the former Blackpool player blazed over when he found space for a shot.

The closest the home side came to getting on the scoresheet in the first half came in stoppage time, when Joe Powell’s inswinging corner evaded the heads and bounced back off the far post.

United started brightly in the second period, as Harris got himself into space down the right channel, where he crossed for Tyler Goodrham, whose first-time snapshot was denied by a sharp reflex save from Crocombe.

The former U’s stopper again denied Goodrham when the latter’s near post strike was well dealt with by Crocombe seven minutes into the second half.

Crocombe was then guilty of a mistake which allowed Harris a glimpse of goal from a tight angle, but his shot was hit into the sidenetting.

Harris grabbed his second goal of the afternoon though, when he poked home from a matter of yards after a brilliant driving run from Murphy down the left wing just before the hour mark.

The match was ended as a contest after 62 minutes, when Murphy raced forward from a counter-attack, taking the ball with him for virtually the full length of the pitch, before sliding his finish past Crocombe and into the corner.

With United well in the ascendancy, Buckingham made a triple change which saw Goodrham, Rodrigues and Harris replaced by Henry, Billy Bodin and Marcus Browne with 66 minutes on the clock.

Two of those changes linked up to make it four, when Bodin slid the ball through to Henry, who produced a classy finish from the edge of the area, caressing the ball into the bottom corner.

Burton Albion (5-3-2): Crocombe; Hamer, Hughes, Brayford, Sweeney, Bola (Carayol 53); Gilligan (Kamwa 53), Powell, Helm (Harper 74); Hugill, Ola-Adebomi (Scott 53).

Unused subs: Blackman, Oshilaja, Moon.

Booked: Powell, Brayford.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Cumming; Long, Moore, Brown, Leigh; Goodrham (Henry 66), Brannagan (McEachran 34), Rodrigues (Bodin 66); Dale, Harris (Browne 66), Murphy (Stevens 80).

Unused subs: Eastwood, Thorniley.

Booked: None.

Referee: Will Finnie (Bedfordshire)

Attendance: 3,700 (TBC away).