Oxford United lose at AFC Wimbledon in EFL Trophy tie

Tilley opened the scoring shortly before the midway point of the first half when he finished off a swift counter-attack, while he added his second of the game five minutes into the second period after drifting in from the right-hand side.

U’s head coach Des Buckingham made three changes to the side which crashed out of the Emirates FA Cup at the weekend, as James Golding, Tyler Goodrham and James Henry came in for Ciaron Brown, Marcus McGuane and Ruben Rodrigues.

The game took a while to burst into life as both sides zipped the ball about well, but without carving out too much in the way of clear opportunities.

Nik Tzanev made a good double save to thwart Cameron Brannagan and Mark Harris though, before a Simon Eastwood clearance landed at the feet of James Ball, who was urged to shoot from distance, but it sailed wide.

With 21 minutes on the clock, the home side edged in front when Tilley burst down the right-hand side from a Dons counter-attack, before rifling the ball past Eastwood.

Brannagan drilled a cross-shot wide from 25 yards, while Harris teed up Henry, who shot into the arms of Tzanev.

Tilley then shot well over from a central position 20 yards out, before the U’s then came the closest in the half to finding a goal.

Joe Bennett sent in a low cross from the left, with Henry forcing a save out of Tzanev, who tipped the ball over his crossbar.

The corner fell to Goodrham on the edge of the box, with the United youngster seeing his strike deflect just wide.

Tilley looked to force the ball home at the back post, but was denied by Eastwood, while a shooting opportunity was presented to Henry outside the box, however he shot wide.

Shortly before one minute of stoppage time was signalled, Harris did well to take down and control a ball down the middle, however his effort was hit straight at Tzanev.

Buckingham made a triple change at the break, with McGuane, Max Woltman, and Gatlin O’Donkor replacing Brannagan, Golding and Harris respectively.

The home side doubled their advantage five minutes into the second period though, when Tilley worked his way into the box from the right-hand side and fired past Eastwood via a deflection.

Tilley, on a hat-trick, arrived at the back post just before the hour mark, but his drilled shot was cleared away from danger by Bennett.

Richard McIntyre then came on for his United debut, in place of Bennett, with Goodrham shooting narrowly wide shortly afterwards when he cut inside from the left.

At the other end, Harry Pell shot from the edge of the box, but the effort was claimed by Eastwood.

Following a scramble in the area, O’Donkor teed up McGuane, who arrowed a shot narrowly over the bar, as the U’s searched for a route back into the game.

It was the hosts though who almost added a third, when good work from Tilley saw the wide player set up Pell for a diving header, which he diverted just wide.

Jordan Thorniley then headed wide from a Josh McEachran free kick, before McGuane bought himself shooting space 25 yards out, but blazed well over.

Eastwood saved with his feet, as the Dons spurned a good opportunity to seal the tie, when Josh Davison raced clear down the right, only to be thwarted by the United goalkeeper.

The U’s ended the game without their keeper after he charged outside his area after a loose ball and brought down Pell.

With United making all their substitutes, it meant Oisin Smyth saw out stoppage time between the posts.

AFC Wimbledon (4-4-1-1): Tzanev; Ogundere (Biler 82), Kalambayi, Johnson, Brown; Tilley, Reeves, Ball (Little 82), Sasu; Pell; Davison (McLean 82).

Unused subs: Bass, Sutcliffe, Currie, Williams.

Booked: Johnson, Kalambayi.

Sent off: None.

Oxford United (3-4-3): Eastwood; Smyth, Thorniley, Golding (Woltman 46); Stevens, McEachran, Brannagan (McGuane 46), Bennett (McIntyre 62); Henry, Harris (O’Donkor 46), Goodrham (Elliott-Wheeler 84).

Unused subs: McGinty, Took-Oxley.

Booked: None.

Sent off: Eastwood.

Referee: Declan Bourne (Nottinghamshire).

Attendance: 1,316 (201 away).