The U’s beat Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 in their final home game of the season but suffered relegation confirmation before kick-off as Charlton Athletic and West Bromwich Albion both picked up results to secure their Championship status for next season.

Tottenham Hotspur loanee Will Lankshear scored a spectacular brace before Will Vaulks and Myles Peart-Harris netted to see off The Owls at the Kassam.

Will Lankshear celebrates scoring for Oxford United on his final home game (Image: Oxford United)

Wednesday, who after a season of struggle on and off the pitch were relegated back in February, found a goal through 17-year-old Will Grainger to make it 3-1 before Peart-Harris bagged a minute later.

Leicester City were the second club relegated from the second-tier after a draw in midweek against Hull City saw Gary Rowett’s men confirm their place in League One for next season.

“Mostly of extreme disappointment at the outcome of the season,” Bloomfield replied when asked about his emotions after an eventful day.

“That’s my overriding emotion but it’s certainly mixed in amongst a real pride of our football club, the one I feel so fortunate to be employed by. I think it’s an amazing place.

Oxford United manager Matt Bloomfield (right) and players applaud the fans (Image: Gary Oakley/PA Wire)

“I think the lads have given it everything; I don’t think we can ever question that. We’re terribly disappointed to have just come up short but they played properly today.

“That’s what we wanted. If the day wasn’t going to work out for us like it didn’t today, I still wanted us to perform properly and we did.

“There was some real good football in there, some good goals and I hope that’s a sign of things to come for us.

Oxford United’s Hidde ter Avest challenges for the ball (Image: Jason Dawson)

“If you look at the way we built the team, when I get time I want to build a team that attacks and play on the front foot and I thought there was a few glimmers of light today about what we might be able to do in the future.”

Oxford United v Sheffield Wednesday – Sky Bet Championship 2025/26 (Image: Jason Dawson)

Now Oxford know in what division they will be participating in next season, Bloomfield can look ahead to the summer with preparations set to begin very soon.

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“Look, I think Monday morning that will definitely start. I’m probably lying, it’ll start this evening.

“I’ll get home and I’ll start jotting notes down and I’ll start thinking about things because honestly, up until this point, my only focus has been putting all my energy into keeping us in the league.

“Now there’s no time to wait. I’ll get in this evening and I’ll start working and I’ll get ready for the summer.

The win came after the earlier Championship results confirmed Oxford’s relegation to League One, Charlton Athletic’s win over Hull City and West Bromwich Albion’s draw with Ipswich Town condemning The U’s to third-tier football next season.

Tottenham Hotspur loanee Will Lankshear bagged a wonderful first-half brace to lift spirits inside the Kassam before Will Vaulks and Myles Peart-Harris sealed the win in the final home game of the season.

Oxford began positively and it took only five minutes for Lankshear to find the opener.

Oxford United’s Brodie Spencer wrestles at a set piece (Image: Oxford United)

Stan Mills’ low ball into the box found the striker who improvised neatly to flick the ball past Pierce Charles and into the net.

The hosts continued the pressure and almost found a second when Michal Helik and Brodie Spencer were both denied with blocks from close range.

Lankshear saw another effort blocked as he arrived late into the box before finding his second goal.

Receiving the ball from Peart-Harris, the 21-year-old took a neat touch inside and another to set himself before curling a peach of a shot into the top-right corner from range.

Wednesday started to find a bit of threat after Lankshear’s brace, forcing a save out of Jamie Cumming through Tayo Adaramola before former Manchester United man Charlie McNeill struck the post.

The second period began lively with chances for both sides, The Owls thinking they had scored not long into play as Cumming’s punch somehow looped into the air and across the line, but the referee halted the away celebrations by giving a foul against Wednesday on The U’s goalkeeper.

Oxford found their third in the 67th minute when Vaulks volleyed impressively past Charles with his left foot after one touch to set himself in the box, the midfielder’s first goal of the season.

Wednesday thought they had got back into the game five minutes later when substitute Will Grainger struck into the top right corner after the ball was played back to him in the box, but The U’s had other ideas.

Hitting back in only a minute, Peart-Harris added a fourth, receiving a low ball across from Lankshear and sliding it past the goalkeeper.

The Owls saw a couple of efforts blocked late on, but Oxford were able to calmly see out the victory.

Oxford: Cumming, ter Avest (Long 63), Helik, Brown, Spencer, Brannagan (Peart-Harris 19), Vaulks, Mills (Romeny 77), Donley (Konak 63), Emakhu (Harris 77), Lankshear

Wednesday: Charles, Palmer, Iorfa, Lowe, Fusire (Maltby 46), Heskey, Chalobah (Thornton 77), Adaramola, Lowe (Moses 90+1), Yates (Kobacki 77), McNeill (Grainger 66)

Bookings: Spencer