CIARON Brown scored deep into stoppage time as Oxford United secured a late Boxing Day win at home to Cambridge United.

Jordan Cousins made sure the visitors led at half-time when he poked home from a corner after half an hour.

However, Tyler Goodrham brought the U’s level nine minutes into the second half when he cut inside and arrowed a low shot into the bottom corner.

Brown then produced late heroics when he scrapped the ball home five minutes into injury time.

Des Buckingham made just the one change from the side which lost at Northampton Town in United’s final away game of 2023.

Josh Murphy failed a late fitness test on his calf, so Goodrham replaced the former Cardiff City winger on the U’s left. Alex Gorrin stepped into the squad and took a place on the bench.

The first half was a slow burner, with few openings in front of goal during the early exchanges.

Cambridge skipper Michael Morrison nodded wide from a corner after 12 minutes, while Mark Harris was inches away from getting a head on a Stan Mills cross at the other end.

James Brophy caught the eye in the opening 45 minutes, and was unfortunate to see his ball across the six-yard box not capitalised on by a teammate midway through the half.

It was Brophy who won the corner from which the away side took the lead after half an hour, with Cousins scrambling in at the back post after a flick-on from a teammate at the near post.

Five minutes later, an overhead kick from George Thomas went wide, before Adam May let fly from distance, however the ball sailed comfortably over James Beadle’s crossbar.

The U’s carved their first clear opening soon after, when former United goalkeeper Jack Stevens made a solid save at point-blank range to deny Goodrham following a brief goalmouth scramble.

Buckingham’s side were handed a huge let-off when Brophy headed wide from Danny Andrew’s cross, despite being afforded plenty of space in the penalty area.

Brown then produced a brilliant block to get in the way of a stinging Jack Lankester shot, before Beadle got down low to push behind Sullay Kaikai’s effort from outside the box.

Mills was arguably United’s brightest spark in the first half, and with three minutes to go until the break, the Everton loanee did superbly well to push the ball past Andrew and force Stevens into a save at his near post.

Stevens then had to tip over Cameron Brannagan’s deflected strike in the final piece of goalmouth action in the first half.

The visitors started the second period strongly, winning a corner inside the first 60 seconds after Thomas saw a shot deflect wide from the edge of the area.

Goodrham levelled matters though, shortly before 10 minutes had been played in the second half.

The 20-year-old collected the ball out on the left-hand side, and drifted infield towards the corner of the penalty box, where he let fly with a brilliant low strike which found the opposite corner.

Elliott Moore then attacked a Brannagan free kick from out wide, however his back post header was aimed straight at Stevens.

Buckingham’s first change came after 65 minutes, when Josh McEachran replaced Marcus McGuane in the deep-lying midfield slot.

Stevens again thwarted his former employers, when he got a glove on Brannagan’s shot from the right channel of the area, following a clever dummy from Harris.

Brown headed over from a set piece, as the U’s ramped up the pressure in the final 20 minutes.

James Henry made his 600th career appearance when he came on for Harris, the change seeing Ruben Rodrigues go up front for United.

Brannagan almost caught Stevens out with a free kick towards the left, a deflection wrongfooting the goalkeeper, however the away side were able to clear their lines.

Brannagan again went close, in stoppage time, when his deflected effort hit the sidenetting, after being played down the side by Henry.

Brown was the quickest to react five minutes into stoppage time, when he scrambled in the rebound after Stevens palmed away a Brannagan shot from range.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Beadle; Stevens, Moore, Brown, Bennett; Rodrigues, McGuane (McEachran 65), Brannagan; Mills, Harris (Henry 80), Goodrham.

Unused subs: Eastwood, Thorniley, Gorrin, Smyth, O’Donkor.

Booked: Brown, Brannagan.

Cambridge United (4-2-3-1): Stevens; L. Bennett, Okedina, Morrison, Andrew; Cousins, May (R. Bennett 90+5); Lankester (Haunstrup 80), Thomas, Brophy; Kaikai (Gordon 72).

Unused subs: Holden, Rossi, Janneh, McConnell.

Booked: Thomas, May, Stevens, Brophy.

Referee: Tom Nield (West Yorkshire).

Attendance: 10,407 (560 visitors).