Knowles and Ismail give Albion HT lead
Burton Albion went into the half-time break with a 2-0 lead thanks to striker Dominic Knowles and winger Zeli Ismail.
Neat inter-play between Knowles and Ismail saw the striker skip past Ryan Clarke and pass the ball into an empty net on 10 minutes.
Ismail doubled the Brewers' lead when Jimmy Phillips' shot was saved and landed at the feet of the loan star who fired home from 10 yards.
There was early injury concern for striker Knowles as he took a knock when shielding the ball in the early exchanges.
The forward, who retained his starting spot after the Accrington win looked in pain clutching his knee but was able to continue without the aid of physiotherapist James Rowland's treatment.
The game erupted on 10 minutes when Damien McCrory's long ball to Knowles saw the striker hold up the ball before laying it into the path of winger Ismail.
Ismail then burst past his defender, placing it through the legs of Jake Wright before playing a perfectly executed through ball back to Knowles who knocked the ball past the outrushing Ryan Clarke into an empty net from 10 yards.
Albion continued the early pressure, Ian Sharps staying up from a corner worked well to bring the ball down before guiding the ball into the path of Billy Kee who saw his half-volley deflected wide for a corner.
Ismail was again causing trouble for the Oxford backline, this time cutting inside from right before passing the ball off to Edwards who delivered a cross for Kee.
This time Kee got the clean connection he was looking for but the ball edge wide of Clarke's far post.
Ismail doubled Albion's lead on 26 minutes, a mazy run by Phillips saw the winger bearing down on goal, his shot was initially saved by Clarke but the goalkeeper could only push the ball into the Ismail's path who rifled the ball into the roof of the net.
Moments later Albion were awarded a penalty, again Phillips danced his way into the box before being clipped by defender David Hunt.
Kee stepped up but his side footed effort was saved by Clarke to keep the game at 2-0 after 30 minutes.
Albion went into half-time being in complete control and assured at the back.