Thank goodness Peterborough United won't have to visit the Kassam Stadium again this year

It’s now Oxford United 8, Posh 0 in three matches at the venue this year. The latest, a 2-0 reverse in a first round Carabao Cup tie, lacked the importance of the other two, but it still delivered moments of real concern for manager Darren Ferguson and his side.

Posh played well in parts without managing to find a finish, but they defended, with the exception of Oscar Wallin, with nerves and with an error or two never very far away.

Tyler Goodrham profited from the casualness of recalled goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic to open the scoring before Matt Phillips tapped in from close range before the break to seal the win for the team who denied a much better Posh side a Championship place last season.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson declined the opportunity to make multiple changes after the disappointment of the weekend, but he did make a couple of significant switches with experienced, and most would say first-choice, pair Jed Steer and Kwame Poku left on the substitutes’ bench. Bilokapic was back with summer signing Cian Hayes replacing Poku on the wing.

A third change saw Chris Conn-Clarke drop to the bench to enable another recent recruit Abraham Odoh to make his Posh debut before Ferguson was forced into another late move as Mahamadou Susoho was pulled out just before kick-off and replaced by Donay O’Brien-Brady.

Oxford, who made an impressive start to life in the Championship last time out, made eight changes to their starting line-up as they had a Friday fixture to worry about. Sam Long, Ruben Rodrigues and Goodrham were the three survivors with former Posh skipper and fans’ favourite Peter Kioso one of those to win a call-up.

Posh started well with Archie Collins thudding a 20-yarder into the chest of home ‘keeper Matt Ingram in the second minute and Wallin met two set-pieces well without managing to break the deadlock.

Odoh was lively and cut inside the toiling Kioso before forcing a fine save from Ingram on 17 minutes. Two minutes later Bilokapic flung himself to his left to thwart Goodrham’s 25-yarder.

But there was soon a familiar sinking feeling for the Aussie ‘keeper. It wasn’t the greatest backpass from Jack Sparkes, but it demanded a hoofed clearance rather than the attempted short pass which Goodrham pounced on before turning the ball into an empty net.

Kioso tried to do his old club a favour with a poor challenge on Sparkes which should have led to a penalty rather than the corner referee Geoff Eltringham awarded before Odoh’s first-time shot was diverted wide by Long’s head.

Posh were seeing plenty of the ball, but this all-new back four was usually shaky when threatened and three minutes before the break Oxford scored again when Louie Shipley crossed for Phillips to tap into an empty net as defenders imitated statues.

Hayes tested Ingram at the start of the second-half after a fine jinking run and Ricky-Jade Jones also forced a save after a decent Randall, but Posh fizzled out as an attacking force until a spell late in the day when Odoh made a horrible hash of a fine move which involved an excellent pass from substitute Conn-Clarke. Ingram also did well to thrust out a hand and stop Malik Mothersille getting around him.

But Oxford looked more likely to add further goals with Bilokapic thwarting Malcolm Ebiowei at his near post and Emmanuel Fernandez clearing a shot from Cameron Brannagan off the line after his ‘keeper had failed to catch a cross.

The final whistle came as a welcome relief, although Ferguson would have had plenty to think about on the way home.

Posh: Nicholas Bilokapic, Jack Sparkes, Emmanuel Fernandez, Oscar Wallin (sub Romoney Crichlow, 82 mins), Sam Curtis (sub David Ajiboye, 67 mins)., Donay O’Brien-Brady, Archie Collins, Cian Hayes, Joel Randall (sub Chris Conn-Clarke, 67 mins), Abraham Odoh, Ricky-Jade Jones (sub Malik Mothersille, 67 mins).

Unused Subs: Jed Steer, James Dornelly, Kwame Poku, Tyler Young.

Oxford: Matt Ingram, Sam Long (sub Elliott Moore, 60 mins), Jordan Thorniley, Greg Leigh, Peter Kioso, Josh McEachran (sub Will Vaulks 87 mins), Ruben Rodrigues (sub Cameron Brannagan, 60 mins), Idris El Mizouni, Tyler Goodrham (Sub Gatlin O’Donkor, 60 mins), Matt Phillips (sub Malcolm Ebiowei, 46 mins), Louie Sibley.

Unused subs: Simon Eastwood, Ciaron Brown, Jack Currie, James Golding,

Goals: Oxford – Goodrham (21 mins), Phillips (42 mins).

Cautions: Posh – Curtis (foul).

Oxford – Kioso (foul).

Referee: Geoff Eltringham 6

Attendance: 3,693 (approx 400 Posh).