Oxford United's Liam Sercombe (left) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game against Birmingham City in pre-season.
The U's, making their return to Bramall Lane in the league for the first time since March 1999 (where they won 2-1), lay 19th in the League One table with just four points.
Last season's Johnstone's Paint Trophy Finalists have made a decent start to the new season, having won promotion from League Two, and having lost their star striker Kemar Roofe (to Leeds United), they have drawn once and won once from four matches. They were however beaten in their last professional outing at home to Brighton in the League Cup, the Seagulls winning in extra-time.
Sky Bet Championship side Brighton continued their impressive start to the season with a 4-2 victory at League 1 Oxford. Three goals in nine minutes late on earned the Seagulls a place in the EFL Cup third round. Kazenga LuaLua struck with a brilliant low drive from 25 yards in the 76th minute with the sides locked at 1-1.
Elvis Manu effectively wrapped it up on 82 minutes from close range, from Oliver Norwood's pass. And moments later, on 85 minutes, substitute Tomer Hemed struck again from close in to make it 4-1. The Seagulls had got off to a dream start with left-back Sam Adekugbe racing down the left to collect Manu's pass and rifling an angled shot into the roof of the net after just 69 seconds. Lualua then fired over after the left of Oxford's defence was this time carved open.
And at this stage it looked as if Brighton were heading for a repeat of their 4-0 drubbing of the U's in a pre-season friendly just three weeks ago. But Wes Thomas levelled on 22 minutes, following up to shoot past Brighton goalkeeper Niki Maenpaa after Adekugbe blocked Kane Hemmings' shot on the line. John Lundstram struck the bar for the U's and Dan Crowley scored a stoppage-time consolation for Oxford, but Albion had finished strongly to book their spot in the next round.
Midfielder Ryan Ledson is immediately available to Oxford manager Michael Appleton after signing from Everton for an undisclosed fee on Thursday. Phil Edwards will press Sam Long for the right-back berth after Edwards was cup-tied for Tuesday's EFL Cup defeat to Brighton.
Fellow defender Curtis Nelson is still out for a few weeks with a foot injury. Christian Ribeiro (ankle) and Rob Hall (knee) are longer-term absentees.
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