Two goals in six minutes from Freddie Ladapo and Wes Burns have given Town a 2-0 half-time lead over Oxford United at Portman Road.
Lee Evans, Marcus Harness, Janoi Donacien and Luke Woolfenden all returned to the Blues’ starting line-up.
Midfielder Evans, who came on as a sub at Wycombe a week ago, made his first start since suffering a knee injury against Derby at the end of October, while Harness, who warmed up ahead of the game at Adams Park, joined Conor Chaplin as one of the number 10s having undergone knee surgery.
At the back, Donacien and Woolfenden returned having missed the Chairboys fixture with ankle and adductor problems respectively.
Town started positively and in the opening minute Ladapo was almost presented with a chance when a defender tried to skip past him in the area but the ball cannoned off the striker’s shin and through to visiting keeper Ed McGinty.
However, Oxford weren’t far away from going in front in the eighth minute after Evans lost possession on the Blues’ right, not the first time Town had given the ball away in the early stages. Eventually it was played inside to Djavan Anderson, who stuck a shot from just outside the area which flew just wide of Christian Walton’s left post and hit the stanchion behind the goal.
On 10, Billy Bodin hit another effort from distance which Walton batted away down to his left with Leif Davis first to the loose ball.
Ladapo looped a deflected left-wing cross into McGinty’s arms in the 12th minute as the Blues began to get the upper hand.
A minute later, there were boos from the 28,000-plus home supporters as Marcus Browne took to the turf for treatment, Blues fans remembering the frequency with with Oxford players had required the physio during last year’s fixture. In reference to that game, U’s fans sarcastically began to sing ‘Boring, boring Oxford’.
However, Browne proved to have a genuine problem and eventually walked around the perimeter to the tunnel with James Henry, a Town target during Paul Jewell’s time as boss, replacing him.
On 17, there was another stoppage, Sam Long requiring treatment after colliding with Cameron Burgess at a corner. Much to Chaplin’s frustration, possession was given to Oxford for the restart despite Town having been on the ball when the game had been halted.
Three minutes later, the Blues were caught two-v-two on the break but Matty Taylor shot into the side-netting when he might well have done better.
Town were more in control and in the 26th minute Harness played a clever ball into the path of Chaplin on the right of the box but the former Barnsley man was just unable to reach it.
Two minutes later, Davis played in Harness on the left of the area but the ex-Pompey man’s cross was turned behind.
From the resultant corner, Davis’s kick found Ladapo but the striker’s header was too close to McGinty, who claimed. A foot or so either side of the keeper and the Blues would have been in front.
In 33, Woolfenden did well to block from Henry on the edge of the box following a rare Oxford break.
Two minutes later, Taylor was shown the game’s first yellow card for a wild lunge on Chaplin just outside the Blues’ area, a challenge which some referees might have viewed worthy of more severe censure.
On 37 Davis headed a Wes Burns cross from the right into McGinty’s arms with Town starting to build some momentum and two minutes later, they went in front.
Harness crossed from the right, Chaplin superbly volleyed goalwards and McGinty saved but couldn’t hold on and Ladapo turned his 10th goal of the season into the net from close range.
Town went looking for a second with Burns cutting in from the right and shooting over within a minute of the restart, then Harness seeing an effort from the left of the box deflect behind.
Just before the fourth official indicated an additional five minutes, Town went 2-0 in front.
Davis sent a corner to the near post from the right and Burns smashed a brilliant strike across goal and into the corner of the net, the Welshman’s fourth goal of the campaign.
Having gone two goals in front, the Blues maintained the pressure in injury time and went looking for a third, Harness cutting in from the left and hitting a shot which McGinty saved. Burns was first to the loose ball and turned an effort towards goal but McGinty did well to get himself in the way and turn it behind. Following the flag-kick, Evans struck a shot from distance which was blocked.
Referee Will Finnie’s half-time whistle was greeted with applause by Town fans following a pulsating end to the half in which the Blues grabbed a two-goal lead.
Town hadn’t had it all their own way but gradually imposed themselves upon Oxford and began to create more and more chances.
Chaplin’s volley deserved a goal but Ladapo reacted sharply to tuck home the rebound, then Burns’s brilliant second from a set piece evidently worked on on the training ground added what could be a vital second goal.
The U’s will have to take the game to Town in the second half as they look to get back in the game, which should see the Blues get opportunities to break and get chances to add to their lead.
Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Burns, Evans, Morsy (c), Davis, Chaplin, Harness, Ladapo. Subs: Hladky, Edmundson, Vincent-Young, Humphreys, Edwards, Aluko, Jackson.
Oxford: McGinty, Long, Moore, Findlay, Brown, McGuane, Brannagan, Anderson, Browne (Henry 15), Bodin, Taylor. Subs: Mousinho, Seddon, Goodrham, Wildschut, Murphy, O’Donkor. Referee: Will Finnie (Luton).