OXFORD United turned on the style as they ended a 17-game winless run in scintillating fashion.
Tyler Goodrham gave United a slender lead at the break at home to Cheltenham Town, before three goals in 13 minutes saw Liam Manning’s side blow away their opponents.
Kyle Joseph netted the first goal in the second period, with Marcus Browne then grabbing a quickfire double.
Manning made two changes to the side which lost 2-0 away to Barnsley as Billy Bodin and Browne came in for Oisin Smyth and the injured Gatlin O’Donkor.
Although the U’s controlled the first half, there was little in the way of goalmouth action at either end.
Bodin saw a shot blocked from the edge of the penalty area, before Joseph was flagged offside as he chased the loose ball.
Goodrham then sent a 25-yard effort whistling just wide of Luke Southwood’s left-hand post with five minutes on the clock.
The visitors, assured of League One safety after a 3-1 win at home to Forest Green Rovers last time out, saw 18-goal Alfie May balloon an effort high into the air and comfortably over Simon Eastwood’s crossbar.
With half an hour on the clock, Goodrham pulled up but after receiving treatment, played on.
Eight minutes later, it proved vital as he opened the scoring.
Sam Long crossed from the right-hand side and teenager Goodrham ran onto the ball and struck a smart, sidefooted finish mid-flight beyond Southwood.
Goodrham was then forced to come off two minutes before the half-time break, as Josh Murphy came on in his place.
When referee Will Finnie blew for half-time, the lead held by United was just the second time in 2023 that the side had boasted an advantage at the break, the other time being when the U’s led Morecambe in Manning’s first game in charge.
Five minutes into the second period, Aidan Keena let fly from 20 yards and despite the ball travelling through a crowd, it proved a comfortable catch for Eastwood.
United doubled their lead when Murphy pressed high and forced an error, before getting his head up and picking out Joseph in the middle of the penalty area.
The Swansea City loanee was afforded time and space to take a touch before picking his spot.
Just before the hour mark, Joseph worked his way into the box, before Bodin took over in the left channel and flashed a shot wide of Southwood’s far post.
It proved Bodin’s last act as Manning brought on Brandon Fleming in his first alteration.
Moments later, Browne grabbed his first of the evening when he headed in at the back post from Murphy’s brilliant right-wing cross.
It didn’t take Browne long to double his tally and this time it was an individual effort as United scored their third goal in 13 minutes.
Browne collected the ball to right of centre and 25 yards from goal, before shimmying his way into the box and applying the finish beyond Southwood.
At this point, the confidence was oozing from the U’s with Cameron Brannagan laying off a free kick to Murphy 30 yards from goal, with the winger firing a rising effort over Southwood’s bar.
Fleming then burst into the area and won a corner when he cut inside and shot across goal.
At the other end, substitute Will Goodwin fired into Eastwood’s near post but the U’s goalkeeper was able to palm the ball away.
The closing stages were played at United’s pace as they secured their first three points under Manning, while boosting their odds against relegation.
Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Eastwood; Long, Moore, Findlay, Brown; Brannagan, McGuane; Goodrham (Murphy 43), Bodin (Fleming 60), Browne (Smith 81); Joseph (Smyth 81).
Unused subs: McGinty, Anderson, Wildschut.
Booked: None.
Cheltenham Town (3-4-1-2): Southwood; Long, Taylor, Freestone (Bradbury 72); Jackson, Bonds, Sercombe (Rae 62), Williams (Ferry 72); Broom; May, Keena (Goodwin 72).
Unused subs: MacDonald, Brown, Perry.
Booked: Broom, Ferry, Rae.
Referee: Will Finnie (Bedfordshire)
Attendance: 7,757 (426 visitors)