OXFORD United’s nine-game unbeaten run in Sky Bet Championship under Gary Rowett came to an end with a narrow 1-0 defeat at Burnley.
The only goal of the match came when Michal Helik was unfortunate in deflecting a Josh Cullen cross into his own net after 33 minutes.
Rowett made four changes to the side which drew at home against Bristol City, as Sam Long, Alex Matos, Tyler Goodrham and Tom Bradshaw came in for Peter Kioso, Ruben Rodrigues, Siriki Dembele and Mark Harris.
For Chelsea loanee Matos, it was a first start for United after six substitute appearances, with the midfielder lining up in front of the double pivot of Cameron Brannagan and Will Vaulks.
The Clarets dominated the first half, but could only make it count with a one-goal lead at the break.
It was the U’s though who had the first sight of goal, when after four minutes, Bradshaw flicked a header from the corner of the six-yard box wide after good play from Przemyslaw Placheta down the right-hand side.
Hannibal then played a corner across to Jaidon Anthony, who found Zian Flemming, but the forward fired over from the centre of the penalty box.
With 12 minutes on the clock, the Clarets spurned a glorious opportunity to take the lead.
Anthony crossed low from the right, Flemming backheeled it on, and then Lyle Foster shot across goal and wide from the back post.
It began a few minutes of intense Clarets pressure which left United clinging on.
Jamie Cumming denied Flemming after the U’s goalkeeper had initially been closed down, while Foster twisted and turned in the left channel of the penalty area, but Helik was able to clear the shot from danger.
Midway through the first half, a first-time 25-yard volley from Placheta proved to be a straightforward stop for James Trafford, while Josh Laurent slid in and crashed a right-footed effort over at the back post.
A little over half an hour had been played, the Clarets finally made their pressure pay when a Cullen cross deflected off Helik and inside the near post.
Four minutes later though, United had an almost immediate opportunity to grab a leveller.
Placheta knocked a ball back into the penalty box, Helik headed back across goal and then Greg Leigh nodded narrowly wide.
Rowett made a switch at the break, introducing Dembele for Vaulks, who picked up a booking in the first half.
The change ensured Matos dropped back to partner Brannagan in the double pivot, while Dembele played off the left, with Goodrham drifting infield to a central position off Bradshaw.
The early exchanges of the second period struggled to offer up anything in terms of opportunities, and just after the hour mark, Rowett made his second substitution as Harris replaced Bradshaw up front.
The Clarets gradually increased the pressure from 70 minutes though, and Foster saw a close-range stabbed effort denied by Cumming.
Two more changes saw Idris El Mizouni and Matt Phillips replace Goodrham and Placheta respectively with 14 minutes left on the clock, but the Clarets kept coming though in search of a second goal, with their latest chance seeing Foster step inside from the right and force Cumming into a very smart low save.
Rowett’s final roll of the dice with four minutes to go saw Ole Romeny come on for Long, with Phillips filling in at right back and Romeny in front of him in a right-sided attacking position.
Three minutes of stoppage time were added on, but the U’s were unable to find an unlikely leveller.
Burnley (4-2-3-1): Trafford; Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Humphreys; Laurent, Cullen; Anthony, Hannibal (Sarmiento 71), Foster (Shelvey 90); Flemming (Barnes 82).
Unused subs: Hladky, Sonne, Worrall, Edwards, Lucas Pires, Benson.
Booked: Roberts, Hannibal.
Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Cumming; Long (Romeny 86), Helik, Brown, Leigh; Vaulks (Dembele 46), Brannagan; Placheta (Phillips 76), Matos, Goodrham (El Mizouni 76); Bradshaw (Harris 61).
Unused subs: Ingram, Kioso, ter Avest, Rodrigues.
Booked: Vaulks, Brannagan.
Referee: James Bell (South Yorkshire)
Attendance: 18,187 (413 away)