OXFORD United stood up to Wycombe Wanderers’ physicality in a stop-start stalemate at the Kassam Stadium.

The visitors looked to break up the Sky Bet League One clash whenever they could and it made for a contest lacking in style, with few clear chances.

Jack Stevens tipped over Sam Vokes’s strike from 12 yards in the best chance of the first half, while Cameron Brannagan twice saw efforts pushed behind by David Stockdale after the break.

The U’s dominated possession after the restart without making the breakthrough, but Karl Robinson will be pleased with a much more resilient display than last weekend’s defeat to AFC Wimbledon.

In a repeat of the 2019/20 play-off final, neither side could find the winner that would have seen them end the day in the top six.

Gavin Whyte returned from international duty to replace Ryan Williams on the left wing, while the other United change was more surprising.

Elliott Moore felt a twinge in his back yesterday and the U’s made a late decision not to risk him, with Luke McNally stepping up to partner Jordan Thorniley.

Sam Winnall was another absentee after injuring his hip in training, but the returns of Sam Long and Billy Bodin meant United had no problem filling their bench.

Oxford-born Gareth McCleary and Jordan Obita were included in the Wycombe line-up, the latter playing at the Kassam Stadium for the first time since his move to Adams Park in January.

United shaded the early stages but struggled to create many openings, Gavin Whyte dragging their clearest chance wide after 13 minutes.

The U’s had spent plenty of time practicing set-pieces this week and Wycombe were happy to put that to the test.

Their first chance took 17 minutes to arrive, as Obita forced Stevens into a good save down to his left after United half-cleared a corner.

Gareth McCleary kept the attack alive and floated a cross to the back post, Alex Gorrin making an important diving header with three Wycombe players breathing down his neck.

Gorrin got himself out of jail moments later as he made an important block to deny Brandon Hanlan, having stabbed a clearance straight to the striker 12 yards out.

Wycombe continued to enjoy a good spell and Stevens made an excellent save after 25 minutes, tipping over a Vokes strike from point-blank range.

The chances dried up but the visitors continued to disrupt United’s rhythm, taking time over dead balls to create a stop-start half.

The U’s had more possession but struggled to find a way through, with Mark Sykes flicking Anthony Forde’s cross over the bar in a rare chance after 32 minutes.

Joe Jacobson’s corner flashed across Stevens’ goalmouth just before the break – although the keeper had been fouled as the ball came in – while Luke McNally headed over at the other end.

Hanlan showed less than two minutes into the second half that Wycombe’s intentions had not changed, getting in the way of a Stevens free-kick to stop the hosts launching an attack.

United stayed patient, even when it seemed their only option was threading the ball through tiny gaps – leading to several stray passes.

Brannagan forced Stockdale into saves with shots from range either side of the hour mark, the goalkeeper unconvincingly shovelling the first effort behind before flying to his left to tip the second one around the post.

The U’s were looking more threatening and Gareth Ainsworth changed his front two with just under 20 minutes left, Adebayo Akinfenwa and Darryl Horgan replacing Vokes and Hanlan.

It was not long before Akinfenwa went down holding his face, forcing a length stoppage while he received treatment.

United stayed focused and Sykes twice got in behind, seeing a shot blocked for a corner before Anthony Stewart turned his cross just wide of the post.

Robinson made his first changes in the penultimate minute of normal time, with Long making his first appearance of the season in place of Sykes.

Holland came on for Forde and Agyei replaced Matty Taylor during the eight minutes of stoppage-time, but there was no winning goal as United played out their first 0-0 draw of the season.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Stevens, Forde (Holland 89), Moore, McNally, Seddon, Henry, Gorrin, Brannagan, Sykes (Long 89), Taylor (Agyei 90+4), Whyte.

Unused subs: Eastwood, Kane, Bodin, Williams.

Booked: Taylor, Stevens, Brannagan, Gorrin.

Wycombe Wanderers (3-4-2-1): Stockdale, Stewart, Tafazolli, Jacobson, Grimmer, Thompson, Scowen, Obita (Wheeler 87), McCleary, Hanlan (Horgan 71), Vokes (Akinfenwa 73).

Unused subs: Przybek, McCarthy, Pendlebury, Kaikai.

Booked: Thompson.

Referee: Martin Coy (Durham).

Attendance: 9,082 (1,505 visitors).