JOHN Mousinho shrugged off a last-minute own goal to score the winning penalty against Burton Albion in the Carabao Cup first round.

Simon Eastwood saved from Lucas Akins and Tom O’Connor hit the bar for the Brewers, while Mark Sykes, Anthony Forde, Dan Agyei and Mousinho all scored for the U’s.

United should have won it in normal time, after Nathan Holland returned from isolation to finish a great move with five minutes left and mark the first game of his second spell with a goal.

But the ball bounced off Mousinho with virtually the last action of the match following a scramble in the box, to force the U’s to do it all again.

They responded brilliantly, Mousinho scoring the winning penalty to set up a second round trip to Sky Bet Championship side QPR in the week commencing August 23.

United’s line-up showed eight changes from the 1-1 draw at Cambridge United on Saturday – with only Forde, Jordan Thorniley and Sykes keeping their places.

The squad was full of milestone men, with centre back Luke McNally making his competitive debut seven months after joining from St Patrick’s Athletic.

Leon Chambers-Parillon was deployed at left back for his full debut, while there was a first start for Billy Bodin and Marcus McGuane captained the U’s for the first time.

Sam Long and Elliott Moore were injured and several regulars rested, so 16-year-old Josh Johnson, 17-year-old Ben Watt and Tyler Goodrham, 18, were all included on the bench.

Meanwhile, Joel Cooper and Mousinho were in a matchday squad for a competitive game for the first time in 2021.

Sam Winnall headed Sykes’s cross over the bar inside two minutes, but a lot of the early goalmouth action came at the other end.

Burton looked to put United’s makeshift defence under pressure from the off and Tom Hamer’s long throws caused problems.

The hosts thought they had taken the lead after six minutes when the left back launched the ball into the box and John Brayford helped it towards goal.

The ball looped agonisingly over Eastwood, hit the underside of the bar and bounced on the line, with the goalkeeper springing up to catch as home players and fans appealed for a goal.

Omari Patrick and Joe Powell fired off target before the half reached its midway point, but the U’s grew into the game.

Their threat came chiefly down the right, with Forde getting forward well, while McGuane looked to make things happen whenever he took possession.

United could easily have gone 1-0 down eight minutes before the break when Hamer’s cut-back found Brayford 12 yards out, but the Brewers captain’s shot hit Patrick and bounced to safety.

There were no changes at half-time and it was not long before the U’s pieced together their best move of the match so far.

Bodin received possession on the right and a delicious nutmeg sent him away from his marker and towards the penalty area.

The winger waited for Sykes to make a run down the inside-right channel and the midfielder saw his cross blocked on the slide – with the U’s fans adamant it struck a hand.

Patrick and Jonny Smith curled efforts wide of the far post for Burton, before Holland replaced Winnall to make the first appearance of his second spell.

The hosts were getting back into the ascendancy, though, and could not have come closer 17 minutes from time.

Powell whipped a dangerous corner into the six-yard box and Conor Shaughnessy stooped to head past Eastwood – only for the ball to hit Sykes and rebound into the goalkeeper’s arms.

Johnson came on for his senior debut in place of McGuane, as the game opened up with both sides looking for a winner.

Patrick fired wide of the far post at one end, before United finally made the breakthrough with five minutes remaining.

Johnson sprayed a pass out to the near side and the ball was worked down the right flank to Sykes, who charged towards the byline.

His low cross was in front of Dan Agyei but fell perfectly for Holland, who had an easy finish at the back post.

Mousinho was sent on for Chambers-Parillon to see the game out, long before he knew he would have such an impact.

United thought they had secured their first win of 2021/22, but Burton snatched an equaliser deep in added time.

Another Hamer throw was not cleared at the first attempt and the ball bounced off the defender and rolled past Eastwood to force a shoot-out.

Burton Albion (4-2-3-1): Garratt, Brayford, Shaughnessy, Leak, Hamer, Oshilaja (Taylor 52), O’Connor, Smith (Rowe 77), Powell, Patrick (Blake-Tracy 90+6), Akins.

Unused subs: Balcombe, Borthwick-Jackson, Radcliffe, Nyahwema.

Booked: None.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Eastwood, Forde, McNally, Thorniley, Chambers-Parillon (Mousinho 87), Sykes, Gorrin, McGuane (Johnson 76), Bodin, Winnall (Holland 70), Agyei.

Unused subs: Stevens, Watt, Goodrham, Cooper.

Booked: Bodin.

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge (Tyne & Wear).

Attendance: 1,868 (429 visitors).