Ciaron Brown and Przemyslaw Placheta both scored for the second game running to help Gary Rowett make it two wins from two as Oxford’s new boss with a 2-0 victory over Championship’s bottom club Plymouth.
This was an 11th defeat in 13 games on the road for Argyle’s under-pressure manager Wayne Rooney.
Northern Ireland international Brown met Tyler Goodrham’s cross with a diving header to put the U’s in front in the 14th minute.
Both teams struck the bar before Placheta doubled the lead with a superb individual goal in the 61st minute, outpacing Brendan Galloway and turning back on himself inside the area to fire low past keeper Conor Hazard.
Rowett had named an unchanged starting line-up after the 3-2 Boxing Day win over Cardiff, while Rooney brought back four players following the Pilgrims’ 4-0 drubbing to Bristol City, including Hazard for his first game since August.
Placheta saw plenty of the ball on the right in the opening minutes and he forced the corner which led to Brown breaking the deadlock.
That brought the familiar chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” not just from the home fans, but many in the away section too, towards ex-Manchester United and England striker Rooney.
It needed a smart save from Hazard with his foot to keep out Mark Harris’ shot after a skilful lay-off by Ruben Rodrigues.
Argyle forced their first corner in the 27th minute, and their first effort on goal as Morgan Whittaker met Adam Randell’s far-post delivery with a looping header that Jamie Cumming saved beneath his crossbar.
A corner at the other end moments later by Goodrham caused chaos in the Plymouth box with no defender attacking it.
The Devon outfit went close just after the half hour when U’s midfielder Will Vaulks deflected Rami Al Hajj’s shot from 14 yards onto the bar.
Cumming then saved Bali Mumba’s low drive by his near post.
Oxford remained on top though and Cameron Brannagan instigated a flowing move that ended with Hazard saving Placheta’s angled drive.
United defender Greg Leigh also hit the bar with a header, from another Goodrham corner, just before the break.
Plymouth worked their way into some good attacking positions in the second half but had no-one to pull the trigger with a menacing shot, and Placheta’s superb second goal knocked the stuffing out of them.
It is just the second time this season that Oxford have chalked up back-to-back wins, and lifted them three points above the relegation places.
