OXFORD United were unable to make a second trip to Wembley in as many years a successful one as they were beaten in the Checkatrade Trophy final.

Close to 30,000 U’s fans watched their side go 2-0 down to the League One relegation strugglers.

Liam Sercombe halved the deficit with 15 minutes left, but they were left watching on as Coventry celebrated at the final whistle.

Despite the Wembley disappointment, United won their final three league games to finish eighth in their first third tier campaign in 16 years.

Fine margins separated victory from defeat as Oxford University won the 163rd Boat Race.

The Dark Blues crossed the finish line a length and a half ahead of the Cambridge crew after building a lead earlier in the race.

It was Oxford’s seventh win in the last 10 races, reducing the overall deficit to 82-80.

It was a busy month of horse racing in Oxfordshire, with Chipping Norton’s Drop Out Joe competing in the Grand National at Aintree.

The 50-1 shot was pulled up before the last, but Gold Cup-winning jockey Sam Waley-Cohen was more successful in steering Anquetta to victory at the Lockinge point-to-point on Easter Monday.

In Rugby Union, Bicester secured promotion to the sixth tier for the first time by beating Trowbridge 53-20 in their Southern Counties play-off.

North Leigh’s footballers rounded off a memorable season by beating a young Oxford United side 2-1 to lift the Oxfordshire Senior Cup.

The Millers had also reached the fourth qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup earlier in the campaign.