BEFORE the visit of Burton Albion, Karl Robinson called his Oxford United side ‘entertainers’ – and they certainly put on a show.

Their first-half performance was as good as any they have produced this season and, crucially, the U’s made sure the scoreline reflected that.

HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the goals here

Each goal was brilliant in its own way. Gavin Whyte’s screamer and Matty Taylor’s exquisite volley will be replayed again and again, but Sam Baldock made two tough finishes look very easy for his double.

The build-up to the striker’s second effort featured two key ingredients of United’s performance, starting with Luke McNally's burst out of defence.

Despite the centre back repeating the trick several times, Burton continually gave him the space to race forward and the extra man helped overwhelm the visitors.

The second ingredient was Mark Sykes' energy and end product on the right flank.

The 24-year-old hurt Burton down that side countless times, helping make it four wins out of four when he has played wing back.

That is no coincidence. The U's deserve credit for turning a formation they had barely used two months ago into one that seems to bring the best out of their available personnel.

RATINGS: Every Oxford United player marked out of 10

That third goal summed up United’s swagger on a day they responded to the midweek defeat to Portsmouth like a top team should, playing the way that has brought them and their fans plenty of joy.

Their front-foot style does make them vulnerable defensively and the trade-off is games like the one at Fratton Park, where even the highest scorers in Sky Bet League One cannot outscore the opposition.

It also means that even a poor Burton team can find a way through and Adlene Guedioura’s consolation, which on another afternoon would have won goal of the day, was a familiar tale.

The U's failed to clear and conceded to a strike from the edge of the penalty area, something that has hurt them more than once in recent weeks.

Read also: Karl Robinson frustrated by Burton goal

The second half was a non-event so we did not get to see if the limp finish to the Pompey defeat was a one-off, or evidence of fatigue after a punishing five weeks.

United's defensive vulnerability is why we have seen 26 goals in the last five matches at Grenoble Road, with ten going in the home side's net.

The most important statistic is that the U's won four of those as they end a congested schedule in a better position than they started.

United faced ten games in 36 days before they went to Gillingham on January 29, including four midweek away trips.

They were sixth in League One at the time, but 19 points from that run of fixtures has pushed them up to fourth and well-placed for a third successive play-off campaign.

In a season when a top-six place is likely to be harder than ever to achieve, I think we would all have taken that.