OXFORD United suffered their seventh defeat in eight as they were humbled at home to Bristol Rovers.

Two goals in the space of five first half minutes ensured the visitors had a comfortable lead at half-time.

Scott Sinclair opened the scoring from the penalty spot, before Aaron Collins doubled the lead after brilliant work by the former down the right flank.

Luca Hoole wrapped up the points with less than quarter of an hour to go when he headed in from a corner.

Karl Robinson made three changes to the side which suffered the 1-0 defeat at Cambridge United last weekend as Stuart Findlay, Marcus Browne and Yanic Wildschut were restored to the starting line-up in place of Josh Murphy, Brandon Fleming and Tyler Smith.

In the case of Findlay, it was the centre back’s first start since the Boxing Day loss away against Ipswich Town.

Despite trailing by two goals at the break, United made a promising start to the game in the early stages.

Within 60 seconds, a corner floated in from the left -hand side came off a Rovers man and hit the post, with Ciaron Brown unable to shake off an away defender to get a killer touch.

Five minutes later, Kyle Joseph shot wide from inside the penalty box.

Yanic Wildschut did well down the left and crossed for Joseph, who sent a first-time effort the wrong side of the woodwork.

With quarter of an hour played, the U’s recycled a corner with Lewis Bate clipping the ball over the top for Sam Baldock, but the striker couldn’t stretch enough and his toepoked effort was a straightforward catch for James Belshaw.

Two minutes later, Wildschut drifted infield and won a free kick in a central position 35 yards out.

Marcus Browne stepped up and took the set piece, but sent it high and into the car park.

After 20 minutes, United lost Baldock to injury as Gatlin O’Donkor came on in his place.

Moments later, referee Charles Breakspear awarded a penalty to Rovers after a foul by Cameron Brannagan on Lamare Bogarde inside the box.

Sinclair stepped up and sent Eastwood the wrong way from 12 yards with a confident, right-footed strike.

Five minutes later, Joey Barton’s side doubled their lead.

Sinclair surged down the right wing and laid the ball on a plate for Collins, who smartly finished inside Simon Eastwood’s near post.

Rovers then did well to control the game and keep the U’s at arm’s length, maintaining their two-goal advantage as the sides went into the break.

At the interval, Robinson made his second substitution as he withdrew Wildschut with James Henry coming on in his place.

The U’s made a bright start to the second period as O’Donkor was played in down the left channel, however Belshaw was quick off his line to close down the angle and the ball didn’t drop kindly for Henry in the six-yard box.

When the ball dropped to Browne on the edge of the box, his half-volley was sent comfortably over the crossbar.

Browne then clipped a ball through a gap in the Rovers backline, however Joseph dragged his shot wide from the edge of the area, as he tried to shake off the attention of an away defender.

Brannagan struck a 30-yard free kick into the wall, after Browne’s surging run resulted in Jarell Quansah bringing down the U’s man.

With an hour on the clock, Henry whipped in a cross from the right, which Joseph failed to get the right connection on as he sent his header wide of the post.

Henry then spotted space to run into and shoot, and arrowed a low effort towards goal but it was an easy save for Belshaw in the centre of the Rovers goal.

A looping cross from Sam Long then threatened to cause embarrassment for Belshaw as it got caught in the breeze and dropped towards goal.

The Rovers goalkeeper watched the ball well though and claimed it under his crossbar.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Robinson’s final throw of the dice saw him bring on Tyler Goodrham and Ateef Konate in place of Lewis Bate and Browne.

A dangerous low corner almost led to a calamitous moment for Henry when he cleared the ball at the near post but sent the ball the other side of the woodwork.

Rovers added their third goal from a corner on the same side when Hoole rose highest in the box to head home from the set piece.

Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Eastwood; Long, Moore, Findlay, Brown; Brannagan, Bate (Goodrham 68); Joseph, Browne (Konate 68), Wildschut (Henry 46); Baldock (O’Donkor 20).

Unused subs: McGinty, Fleming, Smyth.

Booked: Bate.

Bristol Rovers (4-3-3): Belshaw; Hoole, Quansah, Gibson (Gibbons 76), Gordon; Finley, Coutts (Ward 70), Bogarde (Evans 70); Sinclair (Anderson 76), Marquis (Coburn 70), Collins.

Unused subs: Balcombe, Connolly.

Booked: Collins, Quansah.

Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey)

Attendance: 8,437 (visitors TBC)