A MUCH-IMPROVED Oxford United slipped to a fourth consecutive defeat as they lost 1-0 at home to Shrewsbury Town.

After a strong opening 45 minutes, which saw Billy Bodin go off with an injury, the U’s entered the break goalless.

Substitute Ryan Bowman’s second half goal proved to be the difference though as the visitors won a fifth game on the bounce, to boost their play-off hopes.

Karl Robinson made three changes to the side beaten at home to Barnsley in midweek as Brandon Fleming, Marcus McGuane and Tyler Goodrham were all included in the starting line-up.

They replaced Djavan Anderson, Ateef Konate and the injured Cameron Brannagan.

United began the first half on the front foot and will have been frustrated not to have gone in at the break with a lead.

It was the visitors though that had the first sight of goal when Tom Flanagan sent a first-time volley from 25 yards whistling past Simon Eastwood’s post with five minutes on the clock.

Three minutes later, Goodrham brilliantly thread the ball through to Bodin, however Marko Marosi was quick out of his goal to thwart the U’s man.

There was then a rush of activity in front of Shrewsbury’s goal as Kyle Joseph saw a shot charged down, Elliott Moore had a header blocked inside the six-yard box and Marosi scampered across to palm away a Fleming free kick.

Just after the quarter of an hour mark, United made strong appeals for a penalty.

The move began when McGuane’s shot from the right-hand corner of the six-yard box was beaten away by Marosi.

The ball then fell to Ciaron Brown, whose fierce effort seemingly came off the hand of a Shrews defender, however referee Scott Oldham gave a corner in the face of U’s calls for a spot kick.

United continued to put the pressure on though, with Joseph hitting the base of the post after being played through by Bodin.

United’s No 7 then scuffed a low effort wide from 25 yards.

It was the last action from Bodin, who pulled up on the halfway line in the closing stages of the opening period, and was replaced by Tyler Smith.

United started the second half strongly with Smith bringing a save out of Marosi at his near post with just 30 seconds played.

Marosi was in action again moments later when he fisted over a McGuane effort from outside the box.

Both teams then did well to cancel each other out, before United had Eastwood to thank with 20 minutes to go.

A Shrews corner fell to Tom Bloxham outside the penalty area, with the substitute looping a volley on target.

Eastwood though was on hand to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

At the other end, Joseph had a low effort saved by the feet of Marosi as the game began to open up again.

The away side took the lead though with just over quarter of an hour to go when Bowman finished past Eastwood after a ball from Killian Phillips was clipped over the U’s backline.

The goal proved to be the winner as United tried but failed to grab a late equaliser.

Oxford United (4-1-4-1): Eastwood; Long (Anderson 86), Moore, Brown, Fleming; Bate; Goodrham, Bodin (Smith 41), McGuane (Konate 86), Wildschut (Murphy 70); Joseph.

Unused subs: McGinty, Findlay, O’Donkor.

Booked: Long, Moore.

Shrewsbury Town (3-4-1-2): Marosi; Moore, Dunkley, Flanagan; Pyke (Bennett 46), Leahy, Winchester (Bloxham 53), Shipley; Phillips; Bayliss (Street 80), Saydee (Bowman 53).

Unused subs: Burgoyne, Barlow.

Booked: Phillips, Flanagan, Shipley.

Referee: Scott Oldham (Lancashire)

Attendance: 7,597 (visitors TBC)