It was an afternoon of high drama and tangible relief at the Kassam Stadium as Oxford United finally rediscovered their scoring touch and clinched a vital 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers West Bromwich Albion in the EFL Championship on February 28, 2026. For both clubs, this clash was loaded with tension—Oxford United had been winless in seven games across all competitions, while the Baggies arrived on the back of a ten-game league winless run and the recent sacking of their manager, Eric Ramsay.
From the opening whistle, the stakes were clear. With Leicester City’s earlier defeat to Norwich City, both Oxford and West Brom knew that three points could be a lifeline in their respective battles against relegation. The home side, under the guidance of head coach Matt Bloomfield, wasted little time in seizing the initiative. Early efforts from Myles Peart-Harris and Jamie Donley were deflected wide, hinting at Oxford’s renewed attacking intent.
The breakthrough arrived in the 14th minute when Stanley Mills stretched to nod home Donley’s corner from six yards, sending the home crowd into raptures. This was no ordinary goal—it was Oxford’s first at home since Boxing Day, ending a club-record drought of five goalless home matches. Bloomfield’s men, clearly buoyed by the opener, pressed on, and within twelve minutes they doubled their advantage. Will Lankshear, whose last league goal came on New Year’s Day, rose highest to meet Cameron Brannagan’s floated free-kick, steering a powerful header past Max O’Leary to make it 2-0. The Kassam erupted again, sensing that a long-awaited win might finally be within reach.
West Brom’s woes deepened as winger Mikey Johnston limped off with an injury midway through the first half, forcing interim boss James Morrison into an early reshuffle. Morrison, only days into his caretaker role following Ramsay’s dismissal after just nine games, had already been forced into defensive changes before kickoff. Centre-back Nat Phillips was ruled out with a thigh injury sustained in the previous match, so Krystian Bielik returned to partner Charlie Taylor in central defense. Captain Jed Wallace also came back into the starting eleven on the wing, replacing Ousmane Diakite, while Josh Maja retained his spot up front for a second consecutive league game. The Baggies lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, desperately seeking the right formula to halt their slide.
Despite the disruptions, West Brom found a lifeline just before the half-hour mark. Substitute Oliver Bostock, on for the injured Johnston, fired in a speculative effort from the edge of the box that took a wicked deflection off Brannagan and wrong-footed Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming. Suddenly, it was 2-1 and game on. The goal injected new urgency into the visitors, who began to pepper the Oxford box with crosses and half-chances. Yet, for all their possession, Morrison’s men struggled to create clear-cut opportunities before the break.
After halftime, West Brom continued to press. Josh Maja saw a tame header collected by Cumming, while Isaac Price had a shot blocked as the Baggies sought an equalizer. The hosts, meanwhile, defended with grit and organization, determined not to let this precious lead slip away. West Brom’s pressure mounted as the clock ticked down, but Oxford’s defense stood firm, with Bielik and Taylor working overtime to contain the threat.
The game’s defining moments arrived in the final ten minutes. First, Aune Heggebo, introduced from the bench, squandered a decent chance for the visitors with a wayward finish. Then, with just six minutes left, Krystian Bielik—so often reliable in the air—missed a golden opportunity to level the scores, heading Alex Mowatt’s inviting free-kick wide of the post. It was a miss that left the traveling supporters with their heads in their hands.
Oxford could have made the result safe late on when substitute Aidomo Emakhu found himself through on goal but snatched at the chance, failing to convert when he had more time than he realized. In the end, it didn’t matter. The final whistle brought a roar of relief and celebration from the home fans. Oxford United had secured only their second win since Matt Bloomfield’s appointment in early January and, crucially, moved three points clear of West Brom and two points ahead of 22nd-placed Leicester City in the fight for Championship survival.
For West Brom, the result was another bitter pill to swallow. Their winless streak stretched to eleven league games, and their 13th away defeat of the season is now the highest in the division. The Baggies remain just a single point above the dreaded drop zone, with interim boss James Morrison facing an uphill task to steady the ship. Morrison didn’t mince words after the match, telling BBC WM: “It’s not acceptable. I thought we started the game on top in the first 15 minutes, but we knew what game plan was going to come and we didn’t deal with it. They’ve got to take responsibility for that—two balls in the box, two goals in the first 30 minutes. How are you supposed to have a chance of winning a game away from home? Then when we were around the box we weren’t creative enough, weren’t brave enough. It’s deeply disappointing.”
Bloomfield, meanwhile, was quick to highlight the significance of the win for both the team and the supporters. Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, he said: “It’s really important that we got that first home win. It’s really important that we give our supporters something to cheer about, be proud of their team about and something that we can really get our teeth stuck into. Today did feel like a big day, it was only three points, but it felt like it was a big day for us and I’m so proud to be stood here as the winning manager. If you look at last season the survival was built on set-piece goals and we need to do better at that—we need to do better at goals in general. But set-pieces are a great threat for us, so really pleased that we got two from that today.”
As the dust settles, Oxford United’s hard-fought victory offers a much-needed boost in their quest to remain in the Championship for a third consecutive season. For West Bromwich Albion, the search for answers—and a return to winning ways—goes on. The league table remains tight, and with several matches still to play, the battle for survival is far from over. But for Oxford and their fans, this was a day to savor—a day when hope returned to the Kassam.