OXFORD United suffered late heartbreak at the Kassam Stadium as Amadou Bakayoko’s late strike gave in-form Bolton Wanderers their sixth win in seven matches.

The forward converted Marlon Fossey’s cross four minutes from time to snatch victory for the visitors and push the U’s out of the Sky Bet League One play-off places.

United welcomed a five-figure crowd for the third successive league game – a first at Grenoble Road – and they were treated to an entertaining first half.

Billy Bodin twice gave his side the lead with classy curling efforts, but the U’s were quickly pegged back both times as they conceded two goals for the seventh time in eight matches.

The forward’s free-kick put United ahead after nine minutes, only for Declan John to equalise 60 seconds later.

Bodin then found the bottom corner just after the half-hour mark, only for Fossey to level again before the break.

Either side could have won it in a closely-fought second period, but Bakoyoko snatched the points for Wanderers to condemn United to back-to-back defeats.

Karl Robinson made five changes to the XI that started Tuesday’s defeat at Accrington Stanley, with Luke McNally included after flying back from Ireland on Thursday night.

Sam Long recovered from his calf injury to return at right back, while there was a complete change to United’s three behind Matty Taylor.

Gavin Whyte made his first appearance since January 15 on the right wing, with Mark Sykes on the left and Bodin in the central role.

Nathan Holland did not make the bench, which included two strikers in Sam Baldock and Sam Winnall.

Bodin showed his quality inside five minutes, wrapping his foot around the ball to set up Taylor eight yards out. The striker hooked towards goal but saw the shot roll agonisingly past the post.

It was part of a bright start from United, who got their reward after Whyte was felled by George Johnston to the right of the penalty area.

Bodin stepped up and curled an inch-perfect free-kick past the diving James Trafford and into the top corner.

The U’s were ahead for barely 60 seconds as Bolton came forward straight from kick-off, with John allowed space to shoot past Jack Stevens from the edge of the box.

The contest settled down and Cameron Brannagan fired straight at Trafford in the 16th minute, before Wanderers were forced into an early change when Kieran Lee went down injured and was replaced by Kyle Dempsey.

United were living dangerously at times and a mix-up at the back allowed Dion Charles to release Amadou Bakayoko. The striker cut back to shoot with his left foot and drew a good save from Stevens to his right.

The visitors went close again moments later when a backpedalling Ricardo Santos could not keep his header down from Aaron Morley’s cross.
United survived the pair of scares and retook the lead just after the half-hour mark through another beautiful Bodin goal.

The No 23 received Whyte’s pass on the edge of the box, sold MJ Williams a dummy so he could shoot with his left foot and curled the ball into the bottom corner.

United held on to their lead slightly longer this time, only for Bolton to equalise again just six minutes later.

McNally could only head a cross as far as Fossey 15 yards out and the wing back was not closed down quickly enough, giving him a second to steady himself and curl into the top corner.

The U’s should have gone in at the break 3-2 up when Bodin released Whyte with a perfectly-judged through ball into the channel, but Trafford saved with his legs one-on-one.

They remained on the front foot after the restart and Brannagan had two sights of goal in the opening six minutes, first seeing a powerful effort punched away by Trafford and then firing high and wide from the edge of the box.

Charles then shot straight at Stevens from 15 yards, before United created another opening just after the hour mark.

Brannagan took possession after Morley lost his bearings and threaded a through ball into the path of Taylor, who dragged the shot wide of the far post.

In the meantime, Bodin went down injured and could not continue, McGuane coming on in his place.

Bolton boss Ian Evatt responded by bringing on Dapo Afolayan for Morley and it remained all to play for as the game entered its closing stages.

A flurry of substitutions and bookings followed, with Ryan Williams replacing Whyte and Jon Bodvarsson coming on for Charles, while Herbie Kane, Steve Seddon and Afolayan were cautioned.

The second half had been far less eventful than the first, but it mattered little to Bolton as they took the lead for the first time with four minutes left.

Fossey reached a through ball at the byline and fired a cross into the six-yard box, with Bakayoko converting from close range.

Baldock came on for Seddon in a bid to force a late equaliser and United almost got one when Trafford spilled McGuane’s cross, but the ball somehow looped over the crossbar.

Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Stevens, Long, Moore, McNally, Seddon (Baldock 86), Kane, Brannagan, Whyte (Williams 75), Bodin (McGuane 65), Sykes, Taylor.

Unused subs: Eastwood, Forde, Brown, Winnall.

Booked: Moore, Kane, Seddon.

Bolton Wanderers (3-4-1-2): Trafford, Jones, Santos, Johnston, Fossey, Morley (Afolayan 67), Williams, John, Lee (Dempsey 21), Charles (Bodvarsson 78), Bakayoko.

Unused subs: Baptiste, Amaechi, Aimson, Sadlier.

Booked: Afolayan.

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).

Attendance: 10,027 (1,750 visitors).