John Marquis scores only goal as Bristol Rovers beat Oxford

Bristol Rovers won their first home league game of the season as they saw off Oxford 1-0 at the Memorial Stadium.

The home side made the most of the early kick-off, scheduled at the request of Avon & Somerset Police, with John Marquis scoring his first league goal for the West Country club on 34 minutes.

A well-worked free-kick for Rovers involved Sam Finley chipping over the defence, with Aaron Collins touching the ball past Oxford goalkeeper Simon Eastwood, enabling Marquis to head into the open net.

Before that Oxford had threatened when Sam Long rose highest at a corner to send a looping header onto the crossbar after 15 minutes.

A Cameron Brannagan shot from 25 yards in the fifth minute was saved but his captain Elliott Moore may have been fortunate to only be booked after tangling with Marquis on the floor just before the break.

James Henry then headed a Matty Taylor cross over the bar to spurn the visitors’ best opening on 52 minutes.