Ethan Hamilton scored his first EFL goal for Accrington Stanley but the Reds suffered a 5-1 loss at Oxford United.

Karl Robinson’s men led 2-0 at the break and then Hamilton’s header seemed to cross the line just after the re-start but nothing was given.

United made it 3-0 before Hamilton made sure this chance counted, finding the back of the net to get the Reds back in it at 3-1.

But a fourth and an injury-time fifth made it safe for Oxford and the Reds have now not won in four league games.

Stanley started well on what was Sean McConville’s 350^th senior appearance for Stanley.

Matt Butcher had a couple of early efforts, one well-saved by Jack Stevens and the other narrowly off-target.

It was Oxford however who opened the scoring on 18 minutes when West Ham loanee Nathan Holland weaved his way into the area, got a lucky ricochet off Ross Sykes, and then fired into the far corner of the net.

Stanley continued to press without reward and United made it two on 24 minutes when Steve Seddon’s ball in from the left found Holland who got ahead of his marker and drilled home.

Oxford were on top, James Trafford keeping out a James Henry strike, but Stanley were trying to get back in it, a Hamilton curling effort not far off.

Stanley looked like they had got one back on 48 minutes when McConville’s corner found Hamilton. The midfielder’s header hit the inside of the post and seemingly crossed the line before it was hooked clear by Henry but nothing was given.

Then, to make matters worse on 50 minutes, Oxford broke and Matt Taylor got the ball to the left of the area and chipped it over Trafford for the Us third.

Stanley were back in it on 61 minutes when a Sykes header forward found Butcher who fed Hamilton and the midfielder ran into the box and slotted home.

Hamilton tried for a second from distance minutes later and it wasn’t far off but then came the killer fourth.

The Reds lost the ball in their own half on 71 minutes and a Henry cross found a stretching Mark Sykes who slid the ball into the back of the net.

It got worse in injury time when a Cameron Brannagan strike was pushed out by Trafford but bounced off Michael Nottingham and into the net for an Oxford fifth.

Stanley: Trafford, Sherring, Sykes, Nottingham, Amankwah (Nolan 72), McConville, Butcher, Hamilton, Conneely (Pell 72), O’Sullivan, Bishop

Subs: Savin, Leigh, Mansell, Malcolm, Clark

Yellow: Sykes, McConville

Attendance: 5654 (81 from ASFC)