Jaydon Banel scored the only goal of the game in the first half as the U’s were left frustrated, seeing big chances squandered in the second half by Yunus Konak and Mark Harris.

Matt Bloomfield’s men remain in the bottom three as their survival hopes continue to be left in the balance.

A cagey start to the game saw Derby find the first effort when Banel aimed Derry Murkin’s low cross at goal only to see it blocked.

Oxford’s first effort came from Jamie Donley who could also only hit a defender.

Oxford United’s Jamie Donley shoots (Image: Oxford United)

Another blocked shot saw Murkin denied by Michal Helik before a big chance fell for Stan Mills with space to run at goal, the winger forcing himself too wide before running the ball out of play.

The Rams opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when a rapid counter attack saw Banel burst forward before cutting onto his right foot and sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner.

Captain Cameron Brannagan saw a shot blocked in response before Banel tried to find a second but was thwarted by Helik who came sliding in.

The hosts began to settle into the game then, having the lion’s share of possession and frustrating the Yellows.

Sam Szmodics fired over from range before headers from Matt Clarke and Carlton Morris missed the target.

Oxford United’s Myles Peart-Harris runs with the ball at Pride Park (Image: Oxford United)

The second period saw little improvement from Oxford, Szmodics able to shoot in the box with Brown getting a touch to see it over.

A huge chance arrived on the counter for United though, Myles Peart-Harris getting into the box but lingering and losing the ball at the last second to the retreating Szmodics.

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The U’s received a let-off when Banel slipped when shooting in the box before another big chance fell for Konak.

The young midfielder won the ball high up and was two-on-one with Jeon Jin-woo but opted to shoot, blazing it over agonisingly.

Derby maintained pressure, Szmodics denied again from close range as the U’s looked frustrated.

Oxford kept the hosts at bay before asserting late pressure, substitute Harris putting a late Aidomo Emakhu cross wide at the death.

Derby: Zetterstrom, Ward, Sanderson (Langas 71), Clarke, Murkin (Forsyth 90+1), Travis, Ozoh (Fraulo 70), Brereton Diaz, Szmodics (Salvesen 90+1), Banel (Johnston 86), Morris

Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Spencer (Vaulks 89), Konak (Harris 84), Brannagan, Mills, Donley (Jin-woo 62), Peart-Harris (Emakhu 62), Lankshear

Bookings: Ozoh, Fraulo, Szmodics, Murkin; Brannagan, Jin-woo

The U’s travel to Pride Park having managed a clean sheet in a goalless draw in the East Midlands last season and winning there the season before in League One thanks to a Mark Harris brace.

Harris bagged a goal in the Yellows’ most recent game, coming off the bench to score a stoppage-time second goal in a 2-0 win over Watford.

“I have scored a couple of goals there so, hopefully, we can carry that on,” the Wales international said.

“But the most important thing is the team and the three points and, you know, business end of the season.”

Oxford United players urge goal scorer Mark Harris towards the crowd (Image: Jason Dawson)

Some of Oxford’s rivals have been picking up good results elsewhere, Portsmouth in particular surprising the Championship by beating two promotion-chasing sides in Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town of late.

“Only we can control how many points we finish on and no one else is going to help us,” Harris continued.

“Obviously…I’m not going to lie and say we’re not looking at other results.

Mark Harris fires Oxford United to a 2-0 win over Watford (Image: Oxford United)

“There’s four games left of the season and you want to see what’s going on around you. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to make sure we’re putting in the performance to get as many points for Oxford.”

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“We’ve probably been written off quite a lot this season. I think at one point there was a lot of: ‘They’re gone, they’re dead and buried’. But you know, mentality, determination in this group, you can see the run we’ve put together now.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good position. But that only matters if you take care of the last four games.”

Oxford United head coach Matt Bloomfield (Image: Jason Dawson)

When asked whether he was cheering Ipswich on in their defeat to Pompey on Tuesday night, Harris replied with a smirk: “Maybe once or twice.”

The Welsh centre forward has played in some big games lately. Not only has he been a consistent addition of the bench in the U’s crucial run-in so far, he also played in a huge World Cup play-off semi-final against Bosnia & Herzegovina last month.

“Experience is a big thing when you’re playing big games. You get used to it.

“You get your routine leading up to the game. And once you cross that white line, it’s just all about you, the teammates, and getting those points that you need. That’s it.”