OXFORD United are still waiting for their first away point of the season after Sheffield United came from behind to win at Bramall Lane.

Kane Hemmings’s predatory instincts put the visitors in front early on, but the anticipated crumbling of the home side, who started the day bottom of Sky Bet League One, did not materialise.

The U’s were unable to kick on and instead spent long spells on the back foot.

A combination of inspired defending and a mixed final ball from the hosts preserved the lead for 50 minutes, but the visitors could not hold out indefinitely.

Goals from Billy Sharp and James Wilson in the space of eight minutes turned the game around.

The visitors fought back to give the Blades’ defence, which featured former United skipper Jake Wright, some nervy moments late on, but an equaliser did not arrive.

As expected, U’s boss Michael Appleton reversed the three midweek changes to field the same XI which started the league victory against Peterborough United a week earlier.

Phil Edwards returned at right back in place of Sam Long, who dropped out of the squad altogether to make room for new signing Ryan Ledson on the bench.

Out wide Alex MacDonald and Chris Maguire replaced Joe Rothwell and Tyler Roberts.

Sheffield United had a full week to prepare for the clash and came out on the front foot.

Less than 30 seconds had been played when Chris Basham was booked for a painful-looking tackle on Chey Dunkley, who was thankfully able to continue.

After an opening which was high on tempo but low on quality, the U’s went on to have a good spell.

Chris Maguire had the first effort of the game, firing a low first-time shot from range which was saved by Simon Moore.

The Scot had a better chance a minute later, but at the end of a sharp counter-attack he could only find the side netting at full stretch from Hemmings’s low cross.

Murmurs of anxiety from the home fans grew in the 16th minute, when the U’s opened the scoring.

John Lundstram’s quickly-taken free-kick 40 yards out found Liam Sercombe in space. The midfielder tried his luck with a vicious shot which Moore could only parry – straight to Hemmings, who did well to keep his shot down from eight yards to find the net.

Oxford Mail:

United could not have hoped for a better start, but the predicted turning of the Bramall Lane crowd did not appear because the visitors were unable to build on their opener.

Instead, the Blades spent much of the remaining half hour up to the break on top and pushing for an equaliser.

The visitors had to defend well to protect their lead and when their collective efforts broke down it took some individual brilliance to stay in front.

Chey Dunkley made one unbelievable tackle on Kieron Freeman, who must have thought he was about to equalise eight yards out but instead saw the ball loop over the crossbar.

Edwards slid in to make a timely interception and halt another attack, while Simon Eastwood was called upon to make one good save, diving to his left to keep out a low shot from Matt Done.

The visitors were unable to hold on to the ball when they won it back, inviting the pressure, but they survived unscathed up to the interval.

What the U’s really needed was the security of a second goal.

It so nearly arrived in a 30-second passage of play early in the second half, which began when Maguire was fouled near the corner flag on United’s left.

He cut the ball back to an unmarked John Lundstram, whose low shot was fumbled by Moore and scrambled behind.

From the resulting corner Maguire had two efforts, both of which were blocked by Thomas.

But the pattern of the game resumed, with the home side in control.

United were not helped by a thigh strain suffered by Joe Skarz, who was replaced by Aaron Martin for yet another defensive change this season. 

On the hour a loose header from Dunkley presented a chance to Done, who could not get hold of his shot.

The pressure was growing again, though, and on 65 minutes the Blades got their breakthrough when Sharp bundled home a cross from Stefan Scougall.

United complained about what looked a foul in the build-up on Martin, but the referee waved away the protests.

Within eight minutes, United were behind.

A tiring Josh Ruffels conceded a free-kick on the Blades’ right flank, from where Duffy’s curled delivery was headed home powerfully by Wilson.

United still had almost 20 minutes to find a way back into the game, but were unable to test Moore as they slipped to a third successive away defeat.

Sheffield Utd: Moore, Hussey (O’Connell HT), Wilson, Wright, Freeman, Duffy, Coutts, Basham, Scougall (Fleck 80), Done, Sharp (Clarke 86).

Unused subs: Ramsdale, Chapman, Calvert-Lewin, Whiteman.

Oxford Utd: Eastwood, Edwards, Dunkley, Skarz (Martin HT), Ruffels, MacDonald (Rothwell 73), Sercombe, Lundstram, Maguire, Thomas, Hemmings (Taylor 67).

Unused subs: Buchel, Martin, Ledson, Crowley, T Roberts.

Referee: Nicholas Kinseley (Essex).

Attendance: 19,313 (1,278 visitors).