OXFORD United suffered consecutive league defeats for the first time this season, after falling to a 3-1 loss away at Bristol Rovers.

Chris Martin and Luke Thomas both netted within the space of six first half minutes, to hand the hosts a 2-0 goal lead at the break, as United failed to offer an attacking threat in the opening 45 minutes.

Thirteen minutes into the second period, Cameron Brannagan’s deflected effort allowed the U’s to pull a goal back, however Harvey Vale ensured the Pirates had their two-goal advantage again when he netted a rebound from the centre of the penalty box.

Des Buckingham made three changes to the side which lost at home to Barnsley in midweek, although two of those were enforced.

Sam Long and Joe Bennett were unavailable after going off in midweek, so Stephan Negru and Greg Leigh started in their place, while Josh McEachran replaced Marcus McGuane in the U’s engine room.

Both sides needed the first quarter of an hour to suss each other out, and grow into the game, with the first sight of goal coming with 14 minutes on the clock.

George Friend collected the ball 25 yards out, and sent a shot towards Jamie Cumming’s goal, however the U’s goalkeeper was able to comfortably hold the strike.

Two minutes later though, the home side took the lead.

A deep cross from the right-hand side was somehow allowed to make its way across goal to Martin at the back post, with the experienced striker ghosting in behind Negru, before applying the finish between the legs of Cumming.

The advantage was doubled six minutes later, when Thomas’ low strike was arrowed into the bottom corner from 20 yards, leading to further inquiries in the United backline.

First, McEachran, and then Fin Stevens failed to effectively close down Thomas in the lead-up to his crack at goal.

It took 38 minutes for the U’s to get a sniff of goal, with a corner punched clear by Jed Ward, and the ball landing at the feet of Tyler Goodrham, who blazed just over the crossbar with a dipping effort from the edge of the penalty area.

At the other end, Antony Evans swung in a corner underneath Cumming’s crossbar, with the keeper forced to punch the ball away from danger.

The hosts then failed to threaten from the corner on the other side.

Buckingham made a change at the break, introducing Tyler Burey for Negru. It meant a change in shape for United, who switched from 3-4-3 to a 4-3-3 formation.

The U’s started the second period in a livelier fashion to the first half, with Ruben Rodrigues working space for himself on the edge of the box, before digging out a shot, which Ward was able to get across and hold.

A route back into the game was presented to United though, shortly before the hour mark, when Brannagan’s strike from outside the box took a deflection off Mark Harris and wrongfooted Ward, with the ball landing in the back of the goalkeeper’s net.

Buckingham’s second switch saw McGuane replace McEachran with 74 minutes on the clock, but just three minutes later, the Pirates restored their two-goal advantage.

Cumming parried a Sam Finley strike from 20 yards, with Vale following the path of the ball to score from the rebound.

Gatlin O’Donkor came on for Goodrham with nine minutes to play, with the U’s going close twice in a short period not long after.

Brannagan forced a fine save out of Ward with a stinging strike from the edge of the area, before Leigh headed into the gloves of Ward from the resulting corner.

Five minutes of stoppage time were signalled, and from a United counter-attack, Rodrigues forced Ward to push a low effort just round the post.

However, the U’s slumped to defeat on the road, a result which saw them drop out of the top six in Sky Bet League One, to seventh in the table.

Bristol Rovers (3-4-3): Ward; Wilson (Connolly 81), Crama, Friend (Gordon 73); Hunt, Conteh, Finley, Vale; Evans, Martin, Thomas.

Unused subs: Cox, Marquis, Brown, McCormick, Hoole.

Booked: Wilson.

Oxford United (3-4-3): Cumming; Negru (Burey 46), Moore, Brown; Stevens, McEachran (McGuane 74), Brannagan, Leigh; Rodrigues, Harris, Goodrham (O’Donkor 81).

Unused subs: Eastwood, Thorniley, Smyth, Henry.

Booked: Stevens.

Referee: Benjamin Speedie (Merseyside)

Attendance: 9,363 (915 away).