OXFORD United’s hopes of a flawless festive period were undone as they failed to make the most of their best moments at Doncaster Rovers.

Matty Taylor hit the post and had another shot cleared off the line in a second half where the visitors exerted long spells of pressure.

But they could not find a way through and Reece James’s first-half strike proved the difference in the New Year's Day clash.

It meant United missed out on a fourth straight victory over the holiday period and ended their brief stay in Sky Bet League One’s automatic promotion places.

United’s five changes saw them revert to the side which beat Lincoln City on Boxing Day, with one exception.

Cameron Brannagan was left out altogether to rest a knee problem, so Mark Sykes continued after scoring the winner at AFC Wimbledon three days earlier.

The visitors arrived second in the table and played with a swagger early on.

Shandon Baptiste almost pulled off a replica of his strike against West Ham United in September, but after gliding into the box his third-minute shot rolled just the wrong side of the far post.

The midfielder then delivered a free-kick which Matty Taylor headed wide, while Chris Cadden smashed a shot off target from James Henry’s lay-off.

It all came in a dominant opening quarter of an hour in which United moved the ball very well.

But some errors began to creep into their game as the half wore on, giving Rovers a chance to get a foothold in the game.

It was an open contest and the hosts almost got in a couple of times after the U’s lost the ball cheaply.

John Mousinho made one excellent intervention to deny Niall Ennis, but on 34 minutes they fell behind.

After Henry had a shot blocked at one end, Rovers sprung forward and Ben Whiteman’s pass, via an Ennis touch, met James’s run and the left back lashed a low shot across Jordan Archer and just inside the far post.

Cadden, making his final appearance on loan from Columbus Crew, got into a couple of good positions as United finished the half strongly.

One cross forced a corner, from which Mousinho knocked down for Rob Dickie to have a shot on the turn saved.

United were the better side early in the second half, winning several set pieces around the Rovers box.

Matty Taylor thought he had equalised just after the hour mark when Rob Dickie nodded Baptiste’s free-kick his way. But the striker’s header hit the post and rebounded just out of Josh Ruffels’s reach.

After coming so close to making it 1-1, within seconds United could have been 2-0 down as Rovers led a counter-attack.

Cadden was the only defensive cover, but had just enough pace to get a toe on the through ball.

Robinson made an attacking change 20 minutes from time, bringing Jamie Mackie and Rob Hall on for Mark Sykes and Alex Gorrin.

Mackie set up Taylor ten minutes from time and again the striker must have thought he had done enough to score, but although his low shot from 15 yards beat Dieng, Joe Wright cleared off the line.

United piled on the pressure in the closing stages, which included seven minutes added on for stoppages.

But they could not find the goal they needed and slipped to only their second defeat in 16 league games.

Doncaster Rov (4-2-3-1): Dieng, Halliday, Anderson, Wright, James, Sheaf, Whiteman, Taylor (Watters 64), Coppinger (Gomes 66), Sadlier, Ennis (Thomas 81).

Unused subs: Lawlor, Amos, Greaves, Daniels.

Booked: James.

Oxford Utd (4-3-3): Archer, Cadden, Dickie, Mousinho, Ruffels, Henry, Gorrin (Mackie 70), Baptiste, Sykes (Hall 70), Taylor, Fosu (Agyei 85).

Unused subs: Stevens, Long, Moore, Lopes.

Booked: Henry.

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge (Tyne & Wear).

Attendance: 7,524 (759 visitors).