TYLER Goodrham’s brace sent Oxford United top of Sky Bet League One as the U’s won their fourth game on the spin.

The 2-1 victory at home to Charlton Athletic also represented the first time United had won four of their first five games in a Football League season since the 1994/95 campaign.

The U’s also achieved that feat during the 2006/07 and 2009/10 seasons, both of which were campaigns the club spent in the Conference.

Goodrham gave the hosts an early lead with a stunning effort from range, before Alfie May poked home an equaliser for an improved Addicks in the second period.

Goodrham had the final say though when he rounded off a lightning counter-attack to secure the three points.

Liam Manning made three changes to the side which won at Barnsley, although two of those were enforced.

Sam Long and Marcus Browne missed out with hamstring injuries, while Stanley Mills dropped to the bench.

Fin Stevens came in for his first U’s league start, with Goodrham and Ruben Rodrigues also named in the starting line-up.

United made a rapid start, overwhelming the visitors by hunting in packs.

Marcus McGuane saw an early 20-yard effort take a nick and go behind for a corner, however there was an opening straight away at the other end when Nathan Asiimwe struck a stinging effort from the right-hand channel of the penalty box, but James Beadle was able to fist the ball away.

A heart in mouth moment followed for the U’s when May pounced upon a stray pass from Cameron Brannagan, however he couldn’t take the ball around Beadle.

From then on, it was all United. A corner found its way to the right wing, where Goodrham clipped a ball towards the back post and Stephan Negru got up to aim a header into the arms of Harry Isted.

Mark Harris then cushioned a long ball into the path of Billy Bodin, who smashed a right-footed strike over the crossbar.

With 10 minutes on the clock, the U’s took the lead.

Goodrham led a well-numbered counter-attack, and ignored the shout of Harris to smack a rising 20-yard effort into the top corner and beyond the reach of Isted.

United continued to dominate proceedings, with Rodrigues delicately playing a pass in for Bodin, however the run of the ball escaped the former Preston North End man.

Boos then rang from the away end after 18 minutes when Harris found Rodrigues on the edge of the area, with the midfielder’s effort from the edge of the box going narrowly over the bar.

Good play then between Rodrigues and Stevens saw the latter play a lovely ball across the box for Bodin, however he was flagged narrowly offside.

Cameron Brannagan smashed a free kick from the left edge of the area comfortably over with half an hour played, before an opening came Goodrham’s way to get his brace.

Rodrigues freed the youngster down the right, with the 20-year-old surging into the box and attempting to find a teammate when he arguably should’ve gone for goal himself.

Addicks boss Dean Holden made a double substitution at the half-time break, in addition to the one he made shortly before the interval, and the changes injected some desire and aggression into his side.

May was afforded a moment in the box, however Negru got in the way with a big block to charge down the ball.

At the other end, Stevens headed over at the near post from a Brannagan corner.

Tyreece Campbell then fired comfortably over after good work initially from Corey Blackett-Taylor.

The away side were a much-improved outfit in the second period, and were rewarded with an equaliser when danger man May struck an effort into the bottom corner, with the ball taking a minor deflection on the way.

A United corner was ineffectively dealt with by the visitors, with the ball dropping for Negru, who on the stretch came close to poking the ball beyond Isted.

Brannagan then leathered a low 20-yard free kick through the crowd, which Isted did well to parry.

Goodrham grabbed his double following a rapid counter-attack with five minutes to go.

Rodrigues started the move when he threaded the ball in behind for Mills, who looked to have spurned the chance, but managed to squeeze the ball on for Goodrham.

The winger did the rest, poking the ball past Isted for his third goal in two games.

Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Beadle; Stevens, Moore, Negru, Brown (Leigh 78); Brannagan, McGuane; Goodrham, Rodrigues, Bodin (Mills 65); Harris (O’Donkor 88).

Unused subs: Eastwood, Smyth, McEachran, Murphy.

Booked: McGuane, Brannagan, Mills.

Charlton Athletic (3-4-3): Isted; Elerewe (C Campbell 42), Jones, Ness (Hector 46); Asiimwe, Anderson, Dobson, Edun (Thomas 83); Kanu (T Campbell 46), May, Blackett-Taylor.

Unused subs: Maynard-Brewer, Taylor, Payne.

Booked: Asiimwe, Dobson, Kanu, Anderson, Jones, Hector, T Campbell.

Referee: Adam Herczeg (County Durham).

Attendance: 8,898 (979 visitors).