Ruben Rodrigues scored his first goal for the club as two late Cameron Brannagan penalties saw Oxford United crush fellow high-fliers Exeter City 3-0 at the Kassam Stadium.
It was a second successive 3-0 league win for the U's, following the 3-0 flailing of Fleetwood, and the three points lifted them into second place in League One, a point behind Portsmouth - and Oxford have a game in hand on most of their rivals near the top.
United had the perfect start with a breakthrough in the eighth minute.
Kyle Edwards worked his magic on the left, and from his perfect cross, Rodrigues headed emphatically past Exeter keeper Viljami Sinisalo.
And after the Devon side had come back strongly in the second half, with James Beadle saving twice from Reece Cole, they sealed victory from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute.
Rodrigues was tripped by Will Aimson as he tried to get a shot on goal, and Brannagan expertly converted the spot kick low into the bottom left corner.
In stoppage time, substitute Josh Murphy was brought down in the box by Aimson - and Brannagan repeated his feat, converting his second penalty of the game, again low into the bottom left corner.
Keeper Beadle had a fine game in goal, showing great handling and getting behind everything that was fired towards him, as United kept
United were without striker Mark Harris, who was serving the second game of his three-match ban after his straight red card against Port Vale.
Head coach Liam Manning therefore reverted to the team that started at Fleetwood in the last league game, perhaps thinking that no-one who had featured in the 1-0 midweek EFL Trophy defeat by MK Dons had particularly pressed their claims for inclusion.
And it was the same for Exeter, who did not select any of their back-up players who suffered a 9-0 midweek drubbing in the Trophy at the hands of Reading.
Oxford did have Greg Leigh, who had served his one-match ban for his sending-off for two yellow cards against Vale, among their subs, while Exeter included the former Oxford United player Yanic Wildschut among their starters.
The Grecians had a good-sized following in the North Stand - this being one of the Devon club's shortest trips in League One - as the game kicked off in bright September sunshine with the home team attacking towards the car park end.
After the initial probing from both teams, the first serious attack came from Ipswich loanee Edwards's run and cross, and Rodrigues's fine finish to put the U's ahead.
Yet just 90 seconds later City might have been level. Demetrie Mitchell crossed from the right bye-line to the near post and Tom Carroll headed wide.
For those keeping an eye on United's "as it happens" league position, they could see they were back on top of the table.
But that was not to last long, as Port Vale replaced them by taking the lead at Cambridge, and Vale themselves were later replaced by John Mousinho's Portsmouth when they edged in front of Lincoln.
There was a useful position for Manning's men when they were awarded a free kick close to the left touchline, but Cameron Brannagan's set piece was collected comfortably by Sinisalo.
Moments later, Edwards beat his man again on the left to feed the ball through to Billy Bodin, and Bodin, on the ground and surrounded by two defenders did manage a shot of sorts but with no power and it trickled through to the keeper.
It was the same combination of Edwards and Bodin in the 24th minute with Edwards slipping a pass to his right and Bodin only denied by Sinisalo turning his fierce drive around the post.
The visitors had a sighter when Harry Kite ran on to a loose ball on the edge of the box, but he sliced his right-footed effort well wide.
Wildschut, released by United this summer, and making only his second City appearance, might have felt he had a point to prove, and in the 38th minute he almost did just that.
He outpaced Sam Long in a charge into the box and then hammered an angled shot that James Beadle seemed to get his fingertips to, which flew back off the post.
When the half time whistle sounded, the home fans in a 10,222 gate - the biggest at the Kassam Stadium so far this season - reflected on a good position to be in, a goal up, and with Edwards electric at times.
But a second goal looked like it might be needed because this Exeter team are useful.
Left back Ciaron Brown tried his luck with a left-footed drive from more than 25 yards out early in the second half, but it fizzed past the far post.
Brannagan darted past a defender and saw his shot appear to be touched onto the post by the keeper, and Bodin was guilty of not having a shot as he twisted between defenders but had no end product.
Midway through the second half there was a double change for the home side as Murphy and Leigh replaced Stan Mills and Edwards.
Sam Long was yellow-carded for a foul and Exeter briefly threatened from a 25-yard free kick, well struck by Reece Cole that Beadle beat away from under his crossbar.
Beadle saved again from Cole before a somewhat flattering two-goal finale for the U's. Exeter must have wondered what hit them at the end.
This had been a big week for the club after Tuesday's vote by Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet to lease 'The Triangle', east of Frieze Way and south of Kidlington Roundabout, in a milestone moment in the club's future.
This result capped off a momentous few days.
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