OISIN Smyth’s late wonder strike ensured Oxford United began 2024 with a win on the road at Charlton Athletic.

Chem Campbell gave the hosts the lead after five minutes, but Mark Harris equalised midway through the opening half for his first league goal in four and a half months.

Smyth’s sumptuous dipping effort from 30 yards out secured three points for United though with five minutes to go.

Des Buckingham was forced into two changes from the side which lost at home to Derby County, with central midfielders Josh McEachran and Smyth replacing wingers Tyler Goodrham and Stan Mills.

Goodrham missed out on the matchday squad completely, after going off at half-time against Derby with a tight hamstring, while there was a place on the bench for summer signing Max Woltman.

The alteration also meant a switch in shape for the U’s, as Smyth played in a three-man defence, which McEachran and Marcus McGuane sat in front of, with Ruben Rodrigues and Cameron Brannagan playing off Harris.

For the hosts, the league’s top scorer, Alfie May, missed out through injury.

Meanwhile, there was a first for American referee Alex Chilowicz, who having relocated to England last year, was overseeing his first League One clash.

Chilowicz officiated 237 games in the MLS, and two in League Two after moving to England.

The hosts made a rapid start, with Wolves loanee Campbell applying the finish after a Corey Blackett-Taylor shot was parried at his feet by James Beadle.

United goalkeeper Beadle then saved at his near post from Blackett-Taylor, before Tyreece Campbell shot wide from just outside the penalty box.

The U’s took time to adjust to their new shape, and had their first sight of goal after quarter of an hour, when Brannagan freed Rodrigues down the right, with the Portuguese midfielder forcing a low save out of Ashley Maynard-Brewer, however nobody in blue was on hand to pounce on the loose ball.

Michael Hector then got in the way of a Brannagan strike, before Ciaron Brown was well-positioned to nod away a Tyreece Campbell header at the back post.

United levelled midway through the first half, after Rodrigues’ clever ball set Fin Stevens off down the right.

The Brentford loanee played the ball across the six-yard box, where Harris finished first time at the near post for his first league goal since August 15.

Tennai Watson then blocked another Brannagan effort, while a lightning Addicks counter-attack led to Tyreece Campbell blazing over at the other end.

A great interception from Elliott Moore denied a through ball reaching Daniel Kanu, while home skipper George Dobson blazed well over from the corner of the box in the final bit of action in the opening 45 minutes.

The U’s were fortunate not to fall behind again seven minutes into the second period, when Chem Campbell was left free on the penalty spot, however he completely miscued his header from Tyreece Campbell’s right-wing cross.

Beadle then spread himself superbly well to smother Tyreece Campbell’s low strike from the angle, while Dobson let fly from 25 yards, but his shot drifted comfortably wide.

Buckingham made his first change on the hour mark, as Billy Bodin replaced McEachran, with Maynard-Brewer taking Harris’ looping back post header from the air not long after.

The Welsh striker went closer just after 70 minutes had been played, spinning 25 yards out, before getting away a wicked low strike which Maynard-Brewer palmed away.

Confidence was visibly coming back into Harris, whose shot from the left corner of the penalty area flew narrowly wide of the far post.

Smyth sealed the win though when he collected the ball 30 yards out and sent a looping strike beyond the reach of Maynard-Brewer.

Charlton Athletic (4-3-3): Maynard-Brewer; Watson (Thomas 82), Hector, Jones, Edun; Anderson, Dobson, C. Campbell (Rylah 90); T. Campbell, Kanu (Casey 88), Blackett-Taylor (Fraser 82).

Unused subs: Walker, Watson, Asiimwe.

Booked: Jones.

Oxford United (3-4-2-1): Beadle; Smyth, Moore, Brown; Stevens, McEachran (Bodin 60), McGuane (Gorrin 90+1), Bennett; Rodrigues, Brannagan; Harris.

Unused subs: Eastwood, Henry, Woltman, Mills, O’Donkor.

Booked: McGuane, McEachran.

Referee: Alex Chilowicz (Essex).

Attendance: 13,955 (1,070 away).