Oxford inflict shock first defeat of the season on Struber's men

BRISTOL City slipped to their first Championship defeat of the season and Gerhard Struber's tenure, as they were beaten 3-1 by Oxford United at Ashton Gate on Sunday afternoon.

- Dan Carter

First-half goals from Nik Prelec, Przemyslaw Placheta, and a late second-half strike from Brian De Keersmaecker were enough to ensure that Anis Mehmeti's fourth of the season, a stunning strike from long range, was little more than a consolation for the Robins in front of a sellout home crowd in BS3.

Prelec handed Gary Rowett’s side the lead when he headed from close range before the lead was doubled by an impressive strike from Placheta on the stroke of halftime. Mehmeti’s rifled effort gave City hope, but De Keersmaecker’s first of the season wrapped up the points for the U's.

Defeat leaves the Robins third in the Championship after the first six games of the season, five points adrift of table-toppers Middlesbrough and one ahead of seventh-placed West Brom.

After last weekend's professional win over Sheffield Wednesday, Struber opted to name an unchanged side at Ashton Gate, with the only alteration to the matchday squad seeing Max Bird drop off of the bench for youngster Leo Pecover.