Billy Vunipola was sent off as England’s stuttering World Cup preparations were thrown into further disarray by a costly 29-10 defeat to Ireland amid Owen Farrell’s ongoing disciplinary saga.

The number eight is likely to miss the start of the tournament in France after his 53rd-minute yellow card for making contact with the head of Andrew Porter was upgraded to red.

Steve Borthwick’s men were comfortably dispatched in a disjointed Dublin affair, which influential captain Farrell sat out following the fallout of his dismissal against Wales last weekend.

Vunipola’s premature departure compounded a meek display and he will now join Saracens team-mate Farrell in facing a disciplinary panel with England’s World Cup opener against Argentina on September 9 fast approaching.

Keith Earls marked his 100th cap by claiming the fifth of Ireland’s tries, adding to scores from Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose, James Lowe and Mack Hansen, as the hosts retained their place at the top of the world rankings courtesy of a 12th successive win.

Andy Farrell’s dominant side were far from their free-flowing best but still had too much for their depleted rivals, although the first-half departure of hooker Dan Sheehan is a concern.

Replacement prop Kyle Sinckler claimed a late try shortly before Earls stylishly celebrated his milestone appearance but it was little consolation for the visitors.

England crossed the Irish Sea seeking the greatest win of the Borthwick era so far to ignite their World Cup build-up but they were in unconvincing form especially with the situation surrounding skipper Farrell dominating headlines.

Replacement fly-half Ford slotted an early penalty before the away team were swiftly put on the back foot as a superb break from Peter O’Mahony allowed Aki to charge beyond Ben Youngs and touch down under the posts, leaving Ross Byrne with a simple conversion.

While England have endured a tumultuous time since finishing runners-up at the 2019 World Cup in Japan, Six Nations champions Ireland have enjoyed an impressive period of progression masterminded by head coach Farrell.

The Englishman fielded the bulk of his star names for the first time since clinching the Grand Slam against Borthwick’s men in March, which perhaps explained frustrating levels of rustiness in a fragmented opening period littered with stoppages.

Ford missed the chance to reduce England’s deficit with a second penalty before Ireland’s Sheehan hobbled off due to an apparent injury.

There looked like being no further inroads on the scoreboard before the break until Hansen’s clever cross-field kick exposed the opposition’s defence, with Ringrose inadvertently propelled over the try-line by a combination of Elliot Daly and Freddie Steward.

England, who are expected to learn the fate of Farrell in midweek, offered very little from an attacking perspective in a fairly forgettable first half which they ended 12-3 behind.

Their evening quickly took a turn for the worse when Vunipola ploughed into Porter.

Referee Paul Williams initially deemed the sin-bin to be sufficient punishment but the England back-rower, whose trudge from the field coincided with Farrell flashing up the big screen to a chorus of boos, would not return.

Ireland wasted little time in capitalising on their numerical advantage as Lowe was afforded yards of space to catch Byrne’s pass and cross wide on the left, before Hansen added to their misery by diving over on the other flank.

England’s attempts to avoid a drubbing were helped by Sinckler bulldozing over.

But they were powerless to prevent Ireland registering a fourth consecutive win in this fixture, with veteran wing Earls raising the roof thanks to a spectacular diving finish on his landmark outing.

New Orleans Saints veteran tight end Jimmy Graham was arrested Friday night in California following a medical episode that caused him to become disoriented, the team said in a statement on Saturday.

According to reports, police stopped Graham after he was wandering in traffic. He was booked on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and taken to a hospital, where he was met by Saints team doctor John Amoss.

Graham, 36, spent the night at the hospital for testing, with Amoss believing he likely suffered a seizure. He was discharged Saturday and is back with the Saints as they prepare to visit the Los Angeles Chargers in a preseason game on Sunday.

Graham is in his second stint with New Orleans after signing a one-year contract on July 25.

The Saints selected Graham in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft and he spent his first five seasons with New Orleans, going to the Pro Bowl three times.

He was traded to Seattle in March 2015 and went on to earn two more Pro Bowl selections in three seasons with the Seahawks before playing two years each with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.

Graham did not play in the NFL last season, telling his agent “that if I don’t retire as a Saint that I wasn’t going to play again.”

Graham is now happy to be back with New Orleans, and he enters the 2023 season fourth all-time among NFL tight ends in touchdown catches (85), seventh in receptions (713) and eighth in receiving yards (8,506).

“I’m feeling better than ever. I’m still 6-(foot)-7 and I like the red zone,” Graham said. “I definitely came into this with a chip on my shoulder and with something to prove.”

John Eustace was keeping both feet firmly on the ground after goals from substitutes Koji Miyoshi and Lukas Jutkiewicz maintained Birmingham’s impressive start to the Championship campaign.

Miyoshi, a 40th-minute replacement for the injured Ethan Laird, volleyed his first Blues goal in spectacular fashion deep into first-half stoppage time.

And Jutkiewicz settled the outcome six minutes from time with a close-range finish, shortly after being sent on for Keshi Anderson.

Blues boss Eustace said: “It was an outstanding effort by the whole group, but it’s important not to get carried away because this team has still got to grow together.

“Koji Miyoshi came off the bench against Leeds and was really exciting. Today again he showed what an important player he is going be for us.

“He was out for nine months before joining us, so we have to be careful how we manage him. But his talent is there for all to see and he will get better with games.

“We had a few injuries that could have hurt us. Ethan Laird and Siriki Dembele picked up muscle strains, which might have been disruptive.

“But we adapted really well. Juninho Bacuna moved to right-back and looked as if he had played there all his life.

“We set out to be strong and competitive in all areas of the pitch and that was the case throughout the game.

“We paid Bristol respect because Nigel Pearson has been with them for a while now and is building something.

“They are a good side whose strengths we had to counter and to a man the players did their jobs.

“Last season we were beaten here. But this is a new group of players with a new mentality.

“Obviously, the season has started well for us. But we will stay level-headed and keep working hard because the Championship is so competitive that you have to turn up every week.”

The Robins had centre-back Rob Dickie sent off for a second yellow card on 75 minutes and could have no complaints, even though Nahki Wells missed a great chance to level on 82 minutes just before Jutkiewicz’s clincher.

Manager Pearson admitted: “It was a bad day at the office for us. We didn’t play very well.

“We were laboured in our passing and made too many unforced errors, with things like the ball slipping under players’ feet.

“We should have been level at the break but went in a goal down because an individual switched off and didn’t do his job at a set-piece.

“I still believe we are better than we were last season and will do well. We were on the front foot even with 10 men towards the end and missed a great chance to equalise.

“But we didn’t manage the key moments well. You have to take your chances when they come along in the Championship and not concede poor goals because the difference between winning and losing in so many games is very small.

“We are looking at the possibility of doing some business before the transfer deadline, but it will have to be right for the club and in line with what we are building.

“I didn’t go overboard when we won away last week and it’s certainly not all doom and gloom today.”

Exeter manager Gary Caldwell has high hopes for Ryan Trevitt after his goal set up a 2-0 win over Carlisle.

Trevitt and Demetri Mitchell sealed the points to make a long trip north worth the effort, following a midweek defeat at Portsmouth.

“It was a fantastic result after a really difficult week,” said Caldwell. “We had to recover well after Tuesday night and after everyone’s really hard efforts we thankfully got the result here today.

“After the first 15 minutes of the second half we looked the stronger team. The substitutes gave us a real attacking threat. It was a big team effort and I have to thank everyone at the club who contributed today.”

Trevitt opened the scoring on 70 minutes with his first professional goal and Caldwell was full of praise for the Brentford loanee.

“Ryan’s been brilliant since he joined the club and I can see him scoring a lot more goals between now and the end of the season,” he said.

“He’s got a brilliant knack of finding the corner. It was a brilliant finish.”

Exeter kept their third clean sheet of the season against Carlisle.

“We’ve been very good defensively,” Caldwell said.

“It was a big question mark in pre-season and in fairness the whole team have worked hard on defending set-pieces and working hard off the ball. That allows you to make moments to go and win the game and when we got our two moments, we took them.”

Paul Simpson believes his Carlisle side are not too far away from where he would like despite the result.

“I thought there was a lot of good things today. We had good controlled possession and worked their keeper well,” he said.

“My over-riding thought is that we’re not too far away now. But that’s also a frustration.”

Carlisle were on top in spells of the game and Simpson rues the chances his side missed.

“When we’re on a good spell that first goal is all important,” he said. “There were opportunities to get crosses in and we hit the first man and that’s where the real frustration lies.

“We do know the importance of scoring the first goal when we’ve had the chances. We’ve had the corners. We overloaded the near post with good deliveries but fine margins and we didn’t get on the end of those good balls.”

Goalscorer Mitchell was on a yellow card when he fouled Fin Back in the first half but Simpson was coy about the decision not to send the Exeter man off.

“If he hadn’t been on a yellow, it might have been given but I don’t like seeing players sent off,” he said.

“It’s not why we lost today so I would be clutching at straws if I were to claim that cost us the game today.”

Lincoln boss Mark Kennedy claimed Shrewsbury were the better team after Ethan Hamilton earned the Imps a 1-0 victory.

The recent signing from Accrington struck his first goal for the club to stretch their unbeaten league run to three games.

Shrewsbury were the more dominant of the two sides and went close to breaking the deadlock on the half-hour mark.

Dan Udoh played a creative ball over the top to Taylor Perry, who cut inside and darted into the box but Lukas Jensen blocked his close-range effort.

The travelling side grabbed a late win after new-boy Hamilton tucked away from inside the area in the 79th minute to get his first goal in a Lincoln shirt.

Kennedy said: “It wasn’t a brilliant performance by us. For those that were not here it was really tough conditions, like incredibly windy and blustery, and it was really tough for both teams.

“Where I was really pleased was our grit, determination, togetherness and unity, especially of the back of Tuesday, which was so nearly a really good performance.

“But unfortunately, because they scored two late goals, you then get loads of questions which I get but to respond like that with a clean sheet which is three in five games.

“Strikers win games – they say – and defenders win titles which we are some way away from that – to make clear – but my point is that clean sheets are so important.

“I thought they were the better side but if you look at the chances, they have had two shots on target, and we only had three, but Lukas (Jensen) had a quiet afternoon as you get.

“The one chance that they did have was huge. I wouldn’t say it was a game changer because it was so early.”

Shrewsbury boss Matt Taylor said: “It’s a disappointing result but our first-half performance was good.

“We weren’t ruthless enough and when you are on top in this league, and in any league really, you have got to score.

“We missed too many good chances where we made the wrong decision too often in their box.

“And when you do that, and you don’t score when the momentum is with you, then you always risk this type of result.

“Speaking to the players at half-time, I wanted them to win the half out of possession and we didn’t do that.

“When you also play against teams of Lincoln’s quality, and you look at the 1-0 wins they got away from home last season, we always knew that whoever scored that first goal would win.

“To go in at half-time 0-0 with the chances we created and how comfortable we were in possession, I was really disappointed but ultimately we have not taken our chances.”

Mark Robins expects Coventry to be Championship promotion contenders again this season once his new signings hit the ground running.

The Sky Blues were left frustrated by Swansea in their third Championship game of the season as the sides played out a 1-1 draw in south Wales.

Record-signing Haji Wright spurned a number of chances in the first half before Matty Godden gave the Sky Blues a lead, but Jerry Yates earned a point for the hosts.

Coventry lost several key players – including Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer – following last season’s play-off final defeat to Luton, with Wright, Ellis Simms, Milan van Ewijk, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Bobby Thomas, Jay Dasilva and Joel Latibeaudiere among those to join the club this summer.

And Robins believes his new-look team can ruffle plenty of feathers once the squad has had sufficient time to gel.

“I think we’re going to be good, but at the moment we’re just working our way through,” he said.

“Everybody needs to be patient. We’ve got brilliant supporters and they understand.

“But we’ve got to pick up points while we’re going, that’s the key.

“When we’ve worked together a little bit longer, I think you’ll see a different side with more confidence, more fluidity and hopefully more goals and more chances.”

United States international Wright was off target with a number of efforts in the first half as the hosts ended the contest with more shots on goal than Coventry.

But Robins still felt his troops deserved to clinch all three points.

“We should have won but you can only win games if you defend properly,” he added.

“We didn’t readjust quickly enough after we scored. The fact we conceded more or less straight away is really disappointing.

“The determination to try and play through them was there. I just think we tired and the fact I’ve not got the players I need to change things took its toll really.”

Swansea boss Michael Duff praised goalscorer Yates for earning the hosts a point.

The striker joined from Blackpool in the summer and has now netted in each of his two home appearances for the club.

“The one thing he does do is pop up with a goal – that’s two in two,” said Duff.

“He lives for goals and he gives you everything, whether he scores or not.”

Despite failing to win any of his first three Championship matches as boss, Duff remains confident that his early struggles at former clubs Cheltenham and Barnsley prove the Swans need to stay patient.

“The same things happened at my last two clubs,” he said.

“I didn’t win a game for 10 games at Cheltenham, 18 months later we won the league.

“The same thing happened at Barnsley. We were eighth or ninth in the league for the first three months, then we were the most in-form team in the country from November on.

“It’s never going to happen overnight. I want to win as much as anyone else. I also understand there’s a process.”

Ross County boss Malky Mackay was delighted that his side found a way to win after they overcame a battling Airdrie side 4-3 in extra time to reach the quarter-finals of the Viaplay Cup.

County looked well on course for victory at 3-1 up, though they would concede twice in the final 10 minutes to send the game into extra time.

The Staggies prevailed in the additional half hour however, Eamonn Brophy heading home in the first half to clinch a dramatic victory.

“Overall, we found a way to win which is the biggest thing of the lot – that’s what you’ve got to do,” Mackay said.

“We knew it was always going to be a tough game, Airdrie have been on a roll, they won promotion, have been excellent in their League Cup group and have started the Championship season well.

“I thought we started like a house on fire and I think overall in the first half we were excellent.”

Mackay admits he was frustrated at the manner in which his team conceded in the second half, though was thrilled at their reaction in extra time.

Jack Baldwin conceded a penalty to restore some hope for Airdrie and Josh O’Connor then seized on some sloppy defending to level the match in the final minute.

Despite demonstrating some defensive frailties, the County boss heaped praise on the resilience of his side.

“I was disappointed that we made two really silly errors. For the penalty the ball is running out of the park and all of a sudden we’ve given them a penalty and a way back into it,” Mackay added.

“Then we’ve got the ball in our own six-yard box, and he doesn’t just kick it into the stand, instead he miskicks it and it gives them the goal.

“Once we got to extra time I was delighted with my team and the way they stood firm.

“It’s a great testament to the group of players, the way they’ve started the season, the way they are fighting for each other and the consistency levels I’ve got compared to what I had last year.”

Airdrie manager Rhys McCabe felt his side were more than a match for their Premiership opponents.

The Diamonds have enjoyed a good start after gaining promotion to the Championship last season and came agonisingly close to causing an upset at the Excelsior Stadium.

“We really gave as good as we got and for large parts, especially in the second half and throughout extra time, I actually thought we absolutely dominated the game,” McCabe said.

“We’ve got to dust ourselves down, analyse where we can get better and what parts of the game were good.

“I’m frustrated for the boys, we’ve had a decent run against so-called bigger opposition, to score three and lose the game at home – I’m gutted for the boys.”

Eldar Eldarov has been declared a non runner in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Roger Varian’s St Leger hero was on a reconnaissance mission ahead of the main event on September 10, seeking his first victory since scooping Classic honours at Doncaster last term.

Having begun the current campaign with a pleasing performance in the Yorkshire Cup, the son of Dubawi was below-par when well held and only seventh in the Ascot Gold Cup.

He bounced back with a respectable effort to finish fourth behind runaway winner Quickthorn in the Goodwood Cup and connections had seen this as the ideal spot to search for a confidence-boosting triumph.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s website listed the Dubawi colt as a non runner due to illness/unwell.

Joseph O’Brien has won this race for the past two seasons and is well represented in his hat-trick bid, with Royal Ascot scorers Dawn Rising and Okita Soushi, as well as the useful Point King, representing the Owning Hill handler.

Aidan O’Brien’s Library is due to step up in trip following her third in behind Savethelastdance in the Irish Oaks, although she was in action at the abandoned Cork meeting on Friday evening. The line-up is completed by Dermot Weld’s hat-trick-seeking Shamida, who registered her first Group-level success when taking the Stanerra Stakes in July.

Also on the card, Unless will attempt to give Ballydoyle back-to-back victories in the Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes as she steps up in grade following her recent course-and-distances victory in the Listed Michael John Kennedy Memorial Irish EBF Stakes.

The Group Three contest was won by Luxembourg last term and although there may not be that sort of quality in this year’s renewal, there is a handy cast of seven heading to post which includes Noel Meade’s pair of Layfayette and Helvic Dream, as well as Gladness Stakes winner Goldana.

Desperate Hero benefitted from a positive ride from Tom Marquand when running out a ready winner of the Highclere Castle Gin Handicap at Newbury.

Despite being 6lb above his last winning mark, the Jack Channon-trained grey had the race sewn up at halfway.

He was a little unlucky at Goodwood last time out when drawn on the wrong side, but Marquand made sure there were no excuses this time on the 4-1 chance.

Jack Channon said: “The horses are running well and in great form. He was chinned in a Racing League at Yarmouth, but today Tom said that after two strides he had won.

“The stallion (Captain Gerrard) put a lot of speed into him. He’s a lovely horse to have around.”

Mick Channon said: “Peter (Taplin, owner) and me grew up together and bred this horse who is a smasher.

“He ran a belter when drawn on the wrong side at Goodwood and has run well throughout the year.”

George Boughey’s Spangled Mac (15-2) came from almost last under William Buick to win the Heart Bingo Summer Sizzler Handicap, displaying a smart turn of foot.

Assistant trainer Henry Morshead said: “He’s a great fun horse to have and seven furlongs is perfect for him.

“It was a fabulous ride by Will to bring him through the eye of a needle and finish off so well.”

Roger Teal looks to have a nice prospect on his hands in the shape of Dancing Gemini (11-2) who wore down Fire Demon late on in the Chapel Down British EBF Maiden Stakes.

“First time out he was backed from 20-1 down to 5-2 but was too green to do himself justice,” said Teal.

“Then he ran into a good one at Ascot (Richard Hannon’s Rosallion).

“He’s proved today that he’s a good horse to go forward with.

“I’ll let the dust settle and might run him once or twice more, no more than that as he’s a good prospect.”

The Charlie Fellowes-trained El Jasor (11-2) burst impressively clear to win the Brian Rycraft Memorial Handicap under Jamie Spencer.

“I think the step up to a mile and a half has helped him. He’s still a bit of a baby, but the ground suited us well. He’s a horse that needs to be on the pace as he does tend to just gallop, but Jamie said the more he got at him the more he found,” said Fellowes’ assistant Mike Marshall.

World champions South Africa delivered a ruthless display that bristled with pace and power to demolish Wales 52-16 at the Principality Stadium.

An inexperienced Wales line-up contained a total of only 235 caps and the Springboks showed no mercy as they cruised to a record victory over their opponents in Cardiff.

Wales’ final World Cup warm-up Test – head coach Warren Gatland will name his 33-strong squad for the tournament on Monday – proved a horribly one-sided affair.

It was the first time in either of Gatland’s reigns as head coach that Wales had conceded 50 or more points.

Centre Jesse Kriel and wing Canan Moodie each scored two tries, while hooker Malcolm Marx, flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and replacement Damian Willemse also touched down, with South Africa’s tally completed by a penalty try and five Manie Libbok conversions.

Wales managed three Sam Costelow penalties, a Sam Parry try and Cai Evans conversion in reply, yet they predictably had no answer to a South African side that will complete World Cup preparations by tackling fellow southern hemisphere heavyweights New Zealand at Twickenham next Friday.

For Wales’ players, though, the focus is on selection events on Monday and a World Cup opener against Fiji in Bordeaux on September 10.

South Africa were quickly into their stride and went ahead after just four minutes through an outstanding team try.

Patient build-up play saw them gradually make ground and when full-back Willie Le Roux went wide, he found captain Siya Kolisi in support whose pass sent Marx over in the corner.

Wales responded through a 35-metre Costelow penalty, but there were immediate signs of set-piece authority from South Africa as their scrum initially dominated through powerful work from props Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe.

A second Costelow penalty nudged Wales ahead, yet the lead lasted barely two minutes as South Africa created another impressive try.

Lock RG Snyman was the creator, surging clear in midfield before support from scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse and Marx carved open Wales’ defence and Le Roux’s long floated pass found Moodie, who finished impressively.

Costelow completed a penalty hat-trick 15 minutes before the interval, only for South Africa to stretch away with a 12-point burst inside two minutes.

There was a huge element of fortune about them being awarded a 34th-minute penalty try when Wales wing Rio Dyer was adjudged to have deliberately knocked the ball out of play from behind his own line under pressure from Moodie.

Le Roux’s chip into the corner was directed towards Moodie and batted away by Dyer. Referee Andrew Brace felt that Moodie had run past the ball, but after prolonged video review with television match official Joy Neville, Dyer was yellow carded and a penalty try awarded.

And before Wales could recover, South Africa struck again when centre Damian de Allende kicked deep into the opposition 22, home centre Mason Grady chased back, but under pressure from Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe he threw the ball into the air behind his own line and Kriel touched down.

From being three points adrift and very much in contention, Wales trooped off 24-9 adrift at half-time and with a mountain to climb.

And any realistic hopes of a fightback were extinguished 12 minutes after the restart when South Africa claimed a breakaway try.

It looked promising for Wales deep inside South Africa’s 22, but scrum-half Kieran Hardy saw his pass intercepted by Du Toit and a supporting Kriel sprinted 60 metres to score, with Libbok converting.

Du Toit then got in on the scoring act, touching down from close range, before Moodie intercepted Wales centre Johnny Williams’ pass to claim try number seven.

Willemse then pounced before he received a yellow card for a high tackle on Dyer then Wales claimed a consolation try nine minutes from time through Parry.

Caolan Boyd-Munce hit a spectacular first goal for St Mirren to send the Buddies past Motherwell and into the Viaplay Cup quarter-finals.

The former Northern Ireland Under-21 international replaced injured captain Mark O’Hara ahead of the previous weekend’s win over Dundee, which sent St Mirren top of the cinch Premiership overnight.

And the 23-year-old again helped alleviate the absence of O’Hara as he proved the difference in a 1-0 victory in Paisley.

Boyd-Munce lit up a scrappy start to the game in the ninth minute. Ryan Strain made some progress as he cut in from the right before the ball broke for the former Middlesbrough and Birmingham midfielder, who fired a first-time effort into the top corner from 20 yards.

Motherwell improved after a poor first half but did not do enough to prevent only their third defeat in six months under manager Stuart Kettlewell.

The visitors, with Davor Zdravkovski making his first start in midfield, were sloppy in possession for spells in the first half and struggled to get men forward to support their strikers as they played into a strong wind.

Keanu Baccus twice threatened for St Mirren after Motherwell lost possession well inside their own half.

The visitors’ first real threat came early in the second half when Theo Bair took in Stephen O’Donnell’s pass with his back to goal and fired a shot which Zach Hemming tipped over at full stretch.

Kettlewell brought on Lennon Miller and Mika Biereth before the midway point in the second half as the game became more open.

Good work from former Motherwell striker Mikael Mandron sent Conor McMenamin clean through but he delayed his shot and Dan Casey got back to block the effort.

Motherwell somehow got a three-on-two break moments later, but Callum Slattery’s pass did not allow Biereth the best angle to shoot and the Dane’s driven ball across the face of goal just evaded Conor Wilkinson.

Kettlewell switched tactics in the 76th minute as forwards Joe Efford and Mark Ferrie replaced wing-back O’Donnell and Wilkinson.

Former Well manager Stephen Robinson responded by putting on ex-Fir Park defender Charles Dunne and St Mirren saw out the final stages without serious threat.

Motherwell defender Shane Blaney had an opportunity to show his prowess from a 25-yard free-kick but the Irishman fired well over and Olutoyosi Olusanya had two great chances to make it 2-0 in stoppage time. The substitute was denied by Liam Kelly and then hit the post on the breakaway.

Oxford made it three wins on the trot in League One after beating Barnsley 3-1 at Oakwell.

Cameron Brannagan scored an early penalty to put Oxford in front and Jordan Williams’ own goal made it 2-0 just before the hour.

Devante Cole pulled a goal back for Barnsley with 20 minutes left but Tyler Goodrham sealed the points for the improving visitors late on.

Oxford, who started the season with a 2-0 defeat at Cambridge followed by a 5-1 Carabao Cup mauling by Bristol City, came into the game on the back of wins over Carlisle and Derby and they needed just eight minutes to take the lead here.

Marcus Browne was fouled by Mael de Gevigney inside the area and Brannagan slotted home from the spot.

Barnsley went in search of an equaliser but Andy Dallas skewed his shot off-target from a great position and Nicky Cadden fired just over.

Oxford also had their chances and Mark Harris and Stanley Mills both shot straight at Liam Roberts in the Barnsley goal before Adam Phillips was denied by James Beadle at the other end.

Oxford increased their lead 10 minutes after the re-start. Mills made a surging run down the right, reached the byline and sent over a low cross which Williams attempted to clear but succeeded only in turning the ball into his own net.

Barnsley were given a lifeline in the 70th minute when Cole pulled a goal back with a header from a Cadden corner but Goodrham ensured it would be Oxford celebrating the win after being set up by Gatlin O’Donkor.

Conor Chaplin’s goal gave Ipswich a 1-0 victory at QPR and maintained their 100 per cent Sky Bet Championship record this season.

Ipswich, promoted from League One last season and now unbeaten in 22 league games, rode their luck at Loftus Road before scoring against the run of play with 15 minutes remaining.

Nathan Broadhead found Chaplin in the box and, after his first shot was blocked by Jack Colback, the striker fired the loose ball beyond keeper Asmir Begovic.

QPR had created several chances – and were desperately unfortunate not to be ahead at half-time.

They could not have gone closer to scoring when Sinclair Armstrong’s strike from near the left-hand edge of the penalty area struck the inside of the far post and then the inside of the opposite post.

The pace and directness of 20-year-old striker Armstrong continued to cause Ipswich major problems after that near miss.

Armstrong chased a long ball from Paul Smyth and forced a mistake from the worried Luke Woolfenden before unleashing a shot which keeper Vaclav Hladky did well to save.

Hladky also pushed over Morgan Fox’s looping header from a free-kick swung in by Ilias Chair, who sent one shot narrowly over and another wide of the near post from a tight angle as QPR kept up the pressure.

Ipswich did also threaten before the break. Wes Burns missed a great chance when he was unable to find the target when free at the far post, and George Hirst later fired over from just inside the box.

The visitors were on the back foot again early in the second half – again largely because of the relentless Armstrong.

The young Irishman darted with the ball between Woolfenden and Harry Clarke on the left flank and charged towards the box, where Hladky managed to deny him.

Then an astonishing miss let Ipswich off the hook again.

In trying to add a decisive touch after good work from Chair, Armstrong inadvertently diverted the ball away from the target towards Rangers defender Osman Kakay, who contrived to blast wide of an open goal.

Armstrong, playing in the absence of the injured Lyndon Dykes, is hugely exciting but has shown a lack of stamina so far during his fledgling career.

And when he went off midway through the second half, Rangers inevitably faded and boss Gareth Ainsworth’s limited options were underlined.

Ipswich took advantage and looked comfortable after going ahead, although Chair almost scored a sensational late equaliser when his audacious attempt from near the halfway line was tipped over by the scrambling Hladky.