BRETT Pitman scored twice in the last six minutes to snatch victory for Bristol Rovers over Oxford United.

The striker, who signed for the hosts yesterday, was only introduced as a second-half substitute but bundled home an equaliser before catching out Jack Stevens with a long-range effort.

It was a frustrating end to a day that started so positively for United, who announced the signing of Gavin Whyte this morning.

The U’s went ahead when Steve Seddon, another new recruit, headed home a 15th-minute opener, which was equalised by Luke Thomas’s penalty on the stroke of half-time.

James Henry restored the lead three minutes into the second half, but Pitman stole the show to end United’s unbeaten pre-season record.

Although the match came too early for Whyte to be involved, fellow new signing Nathan Holland was handed the first start of his second spell with United.

Sam Long, Luke McNally and Alex Gorrin are still following return-to-play protocols after isolating, so Anthony Forde began at right back, John Mousinho partnered Elliott Moore in central defence and Cameron Brannagan sat at the base of midfield.

Billy Bodin and Matty Taylor started on the bench against their former club, while Marcus McGuane joined them among the substitutes after returning from his period in isolation.

Meanwhile, Rovers boss Joey Barton was back in the dugout after his court appearance earlier this week.

The Memorial Stadium was well below full capacity, but the Rovers fans made themselves heard and their side almost responded inside 40 seconds.

Harry Saunders flicked a header on to send Thomas racing in behind and the winger had time to pick out a teammate with the cross.

He found Saunders charging in and the striker sent the ball towards goal, but Jack Stevens made himself big to block.

Holland saw plenty of the ball early on, but it was another new signing who gave United the lead.

Seddon’s attacking instincts are well-documented and the left back showed he could be a danger in the box as well as outside, rising highest to meet Henry’s 15th-minute corner.

The left back was keen to get forward whenever possible, while many of United’s attacks started with Mark Sykes and Brannagan dropping between the centre backs to receive the ball.

The latter launched a lovely move midway through the half, when he found Williams on the halfway line.

The winger flicked on to Sam Winnall, who released Henry down the right, but the midfielder’s cross was shovelled behind for a corner with Seddon arriving.

Unlike their opponents, United were pressing high and should have scored another after forcing Rovers into a mistake 28 minutes in.

The U’s charged down a clearance and Williams, one-on-one with Anssi Jaakkola, opted to pass to Holland, who saw his effort blocked.

It proved costly, as Thomas - Rovers’ most dangerous player – levelled the scores in stoppage-time.

The forward got the wrong side of Mousinho in the box and was brought down, before getting up to dink the penalty down the middle.

Karl Robinson changed his entire front three at the break, with Taylor, Bodin and Dan Agyei replacing Winnall, Williams and Holland.

Alfie Kilgour replaced Joe Budd for Rovers, but the substitute’s first involvement ended in a U’s goal.

Kilgour’s pass was intercepted and Sykes pounced on the loose ball to find Henry, who fired into the corner.

Brannagan and Bodin each forced Jaakkola into good saves on either side before the hour mark, as the second half struggled to get going.

Pitman replaced Zain Westbrooke to make his Rovers debut and almost scored with his first touch, with Stevens forced to backpedal and push the striker’s header on to the bar.

Moments later, Moore went down and needed treatment and Robinson took the opportunity to make four changes.

The centre back was replaced by Michael Elechi, while 16-year-old Josh Johnson came on for Brannagan, Henry went off for McGuane and Cooper entered the fray in place of Sykes.

Rovers made several substitutions of their own and the game lost its flow a little, although Stevens had to be alert to save one-on-one from Pitman – only for the striker to be flagged offside.

He soon had his customary goal against United, though, and it was a sloppy one to concede.

McGuane headed a corner straight up in the air at the back post and Pitman got the final touch to bundle home on the line.

The striker’s second goal was far more spectacular, as he caught Stevens off his line one minute from time to send the Rovers support home happy.

Bristol Rovers (3-4-3): Jaakkola, Hoole, Hughes, Grant (Spence 77), Anderson (Harries 62), Coutts (Liddle 71), Budd (Kilgour 46), Clarke (Hargreaves 77), Thomas (Jones 71), Saunders (Walker 77), Westbrooke (Pitman 62).

Unused subs: Belshaw, Mehew, Lovelock.

Booked: None.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Stevens, Forde, Moore (Elechi 68), Mousinho (Nosakhare 85), Seddon, Henry (McGuane 68), Brannagan (Johnson 68), Sykes (Cooper 68), Williams (Bodin 46), Winnall (Taylor 46), Holland (Agyei 46).

Unused subs: Eastwood.

Booked: None.

Referee: Scott Jackson.