Striker Deane Smalley scored two first-half goals as Oxford United kept up their 100% record in League Two with victory over Plymouth Argyle.

The 23-year-old, who only scored once in his first 24 league games for the U's, opened the scoring from close range after good work from Sean Rigg.

And he fired home Alfie Potter's ball from an angle to double the lead.

Robbie Williams's free-kick gave Plymouth hope and Onismor Bhasera almost scored a late equaliser.

VIEWS FROM DRESSING ROOM

Plymouth Argyle manager Carl Fletcher told BBC Radio Devon:

"Performance wise we did well, kept the ball, created some chances, but the first half let us down.

"We battled hard, first half I was disappointed how some individual battles went, but a lot of positives today; Connor and Young in midfield were really bright and enthusiastic.

"We came back second half, we must've had 70-80% of the possession, almost the whole game in their half."

"we'll do something different (on Tuesday), see how we feel and move on from there."

Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (6)

Oxford United

  • 01 Clarke
  • 02 Batt
  • 04 Raynes
  • 06 Wright
  • 17 Capaldi
  • 07 Chapman
  • 14 Rigg
  • 18 Forster-Caskey (Heslop - 46' )
  • 10 Smalley (Constable - 46' )
  • 15 Potter
  • 29 Craddock (Pittman - 67' )

Substitutes

  • 21 Brown
  • 03 McGinty
  • 23 Evans
  • 08 Heslop
  • 09 Constable
  • 11 Pittman
  • 28 Marsh

Plymouth Argyle

  • 01 Cole
  • 04 Blanchard
  • 05 Purse (Chadwick - 71' )
  • 14 Bhasera Booked
  • 17 Nelson (Berry - 46' Booked )
  • 06 Hourihane
  • 08 Young
  • 15 Wotton
  • 27 Gurrieri (Williams - 46' Booked )
  • 07 Cowan-Hall
  • 11 Feeney

Substitutes

  • 13 Chenoweth
  • 02 Berry
  • 03 Williams
  • 19 Lennox
  • 28 Gorman
  • 09 Chadwick
  • 21 Lecointe
Ref: Bratt
Att: 6,906

Match Stats

Shots

10 10

On target

6 6

Corners

5 3

Fouls

12 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +2:44 Full time

Full Time The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

89:48

Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Durrell Berry goes wide of the right-hand upright.

87:55

Onismor Bhasera takes a shot. Damian Batt manages to make a clearance. Corner from left by-line taken by Paul Wotton. Effort on goal by Robbie Williams from long range goes harmlessly over the bar.

85:13

Direct free kick taken by Damian Batt. Short corner worked by Adam Chapman. Adam Chapman takes a inswinging corner.

85:13 Booking

Booking Robbie Williams is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.

83:42

Centre by Tony Capaldi, Paul Wotton gets a block in. Corner taken short by Adam Chapman. Sean Rigg produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box that clears the crossbar. Robbie Williams challenges Adam Chapman unfairly and gives away a free kick.

82:16

Jon-Paul Pittman takes a shot. Save made by Jake Cole.

80:22

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adam Chapman by Nick Chadwick. Ryan Clarke restarts play with the free kick.

79:32

Conor Hourihane has an effort at goal from long range that misses to the right of the goal.

79:05

Jon-Paul Pittman gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Durrell Berry. Free kick taken by Jake Cole.

78:18

Free kick taken by Tony Capaldi.

78:18 Booking

Booking Booking for Durrell Berry for unsporting behaviour.

77:52

Free kick awarded for a foul by Durrell Berry on Sean Rigg.

75:30

Corner taken right-footed by Adam Chapman.

73:37 Goal scored

Goal - Robbie Williams - Oxford 2 - 1 Plymouth Free kick scored by Robbie Williams from a long way out to the bottom left corner of the goal. Oxford Utd 2-1 Plymouth.

73:16

Foul by Damian Batt on Onismor Bhasera, free kick awarded.

71:54

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jon-Paul Pittman by Robbie Williams. Direct free kick taken by Ryan Clarke. Sean Rigg has a drilled shot. Save by Jake Cole.

70:40

Direct free kick taken by Robbie Williams.

70:40 Substitution

Substitution (Plymouth) makes a substitution, with Nick Chadwick coming on for Darren Purse.

70:40

Foul by Simon Heslop on Conor Hourihane, free kick awarded.

68:31

Free kick awarded for a foul by Conor Hourihane on Sean Rigg. Jake Wright restarts play with the free kick.

66:20

Direct free kick taken by Ryan Clarke.

66:20 Substitution

Substitution Jon-Paul Pittman comes on in place of Tom Craddock.

66:20

Unfair challenge on Jake Wright by Warren Feeney results in a free kick.

65:37

Effort on goal by Tom Craddock from just inside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the target.

63:40

Paris Cowan-Hall sends in a cross, clearance made by Jake Wright.

60:35

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Conor Hourihane by Alfie Potter. Robbie Williams restarts play with the free kick.

59:56

Onismor Bhasera is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Ryan Clarke.

58:43

Free kick awarded for a foul by Adam Chapman on Luke Young. Paul Wotton takes the direct free kick.

56:11

Simon Heslop concedes a free kick for a foul on Conor Hourihane. Free kick crossed by Paul Wotton, clearance made by Jake Wright.

55:36

Tom Craddock concedes a free kick for a foul on Maxime Blanchard. Free kick taken by Jake Cole.

53:29

The ball is delivered by Onismor Bhasera, Warren Feeney takes a shot. Save made by Ryan Clarke.

45:01

The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Durrell Berry joins the action as a substitute, replacing Curtis Nelson.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Robbie Williams is brought on as a substitute for Andres Gurrieri.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Jake Forster-Caskey leaves the field to be replaced by Simon Heslop.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution James Constable on for Deane Smalley.

45:00 +1:01 Half time

Half Time It is the end of the first-half.

44:07

Paul Wotton takes a inswinging corner.

41:01 Booking

Booking Caution for Onismor Bhasera.

40:52

Onismor Bhasera gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Deane Smalley. Direct free kick taken by Adam Chapman.

35:19

Luke Young concedes a free kick for a foul on Jake Forster-Caskey. Direct strike on goal from the free kick comes in from Adam Chapman.

34:46

Deane Smalley takes a shot. Blocked by Darren Purse.

33:26

Paris Cowan-Hall takes a shot. Ryan Clarke makes a save.

29:35

Andres Gurrieri produces a left-footed effort from long distance that goes harmlessly over the bar.

29:00

Damian Batt gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Andres Gurrieri. Paul Wotton takes the free kick.

28:18

Damian Batt has an effort from just inside the box that misses to the left of the target.

24:20

Free kick awarded for a foul by Jake Forster-Caskey on Maxime Blanchard. Paul Wotton takes the free kick.

22:44

Assist on the goal came from Alfie Potter.

22:44 Goal scored

Goal - Deane Smalley - Oxford 2 - 0 Plymouth A goal is scored by Deane Smalley from inside the six-yard box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Oxford Utd 2-0 Plymouth.

19:27

Assist on the goal came from Tom Craddock.

19:27 Goal scored

Goal - Deane Smalley - Oxford 1 - 0 Plymouth Deane Smalley grabs a goal from inside the six-yard box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Oxford Utd 1-0 Plymouth.

17:53

Sean Rigg fouled by Paris Cowan-Hall, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Tony Capaldi.

15:14

Corner taken left-footed by Conor Hourihane, Darren Purse takes a shot. Jake Wright makes a clearance.

14:50

Foul by Tom Craddock on Conor Hourihane, free kick awarded. Paul Wotton takes the direct free kick.

11:37

Centre by Conor Hourihane, Warren Feeney takes a shot.

8:02

Corner taken right-footed by Adam Chapman, Maxime Blanchard manages to make a clearance.

6:25

Free kick awarded for a foul by Michael Raynes on Warren Feeney. Paul Wotton restarts play with the free kick.

1:37

Tom Craddock takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.

0:29

Unfair challenge on Paul Wotton by Tom Craddock results in a free kick. Jake Cole takes the direct free kick.

0:00

The referee gets the match started.

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