Josh Murphy inspired Oxford to an emphatic 5-0 win over Peterborough that keeps them on track for the League One play-offs.

Despite being without key players Elliott Moore and Cameron Brannagan, the U’s were brimming with confidence following successive four-goal wins, and were three up by the break.

They took the lead in the 19th minute when Jadel Katongo fouled Murphy in the box and Mark Harris blasted home the spot-kick.

Murphy headed in keeper Jed Steer’s clearance to make it 2-0 just after the half hour, and the pacy midfielder created the third in the 39th minute for Ruben Rodrigues, who finished neatly from 12 yards.

Owen Dale also hit the post and missed an open goal before the interval, with Oxford dominant.

Posh had chances too, Ricky-Jade Jones missing from close range and striking the underside of the bar from Ephron Mason-Clark’s cross.

Visiting boss Darren Ferguson showed his displeasure by hauling off four players at the interval, but Rodrigues met Finn Stevens’ cross with a sublime diving header after 58 minutes to make it 4-0.

Greg Leigh then hit the post before substitute Billy Bodin completed the rout in the 89th minute with a fine individual effort.

Darren Ferguson knows Peterborough are in with a chance of automatic promotion from League One after a 3-1 victory over Stevenage.

Posh, with a game in hand, closed to within four points of the top two after reeling off a fifth successive win.

The visitors should have had a penalty for a Josh Knight handball just after the half-hour before Posh snatched a 44th-minute lead from the spot through Harrison Burrows.

Jadel Katongo doubled the lead with a stunning first English Football League goal of his career in the 64th minute before Kwame Poku smashed in a 77th-minute clincher as Posh climbed into fourth ahead of a super Saturday when they host table-topping Portsmouth, while second-placed Derby do battle with Bolton in third.

Nick Freeman hit a consolation for Stevenage, who remain in the final play-off spot.

Ferguson said: “We were nowhere near our normal quality, but I can’t expect us to be perfect all the time.

“What I do need is for us to find a way of winning games and we did that by being ruthless.

“We made it hard for ourselves but we still managed to overcome an opponent who were just as tough as we knew they would be. Stevenage are not sixth in the league for no reason at this stage of the season.

“We told the lads a while ago to stay in touch and get to March. I always felt this month would be pivotal and that we really had to go for it, and there’s no doubt we’ve got a chance.

“We’ll roll the players out again on Saturday against Portsmouth. It’s the sort of game you want to be involved in.

“They’ve been the best team so far, they’re bringing 4,000 with them and we need our fans more than we’ve needed them all season.”

Stevenage are one point above seventh-placed Blackpool as the play-off race hots up.

Boss Steve Evans insisted: “The best team lost tonight. We just were not as clinical as Peterborough were.

“The balance of the game changed when we didn’t get a penalty and Peterborough did get one.

“I’m not disputing theirs is a penalty, but there is a clear and obvious handball in their box in the 31st minute and the referee gives a goal kick.

“We’re somehow going to have to go above these decisions to get into the play-offs. Managers get the sack, but referees just get told to be better.

“It’s always a problem when you’re not scoring goals. We have to take our chances more but we’re going through a little spell where our strikers are not finding the net.

“Peterborough are a wonderful team to watch when they get into flow and I wish them every success. I really hope they go on to win promotion and the Bristol Street Motors Trophy as well.”

Peterborough continued their charge back into League One automatic-promotion contention by beating play-off chasing Stevenage 3-1.

Harrison Burrows’ spot-kick, a stunning first league goal for 19-year-old Jadel Katongo and Kwame Poku’s clincher earned a fifth straight league success.

Stevenage would arguably have been disappointed to still be level at the break after being the dominant first-half side, so Luther James-Wildin’s reckless challenge on Ephron Mason-Clark to gift the hosts a 44th-minute penalty – coolly converted by Burrows – will have come as a hammer blow to former Posh boss Steve Evans.

Evans’ Stevenage also had the first big chance of the second period when Posh keeper Jed Steer pulled off a full-stretch save to keep out top-scorer Jamie Reid’s header.

But it was Posh who found the net again as Manchester City loanee Katongo embarked on a marauding run from inside his own half, exchanged passes with substitute Malik Mothersille and steered a low shot past Taye Ashby-Hammond in the 64th minute.

Mothersille was again the architect when Poku sealed the points with a ferocious 77th-minute finish before Nick Freeman hit a consolation in the 85th minute for Stevenage as they slipped to a first defeat in five games.

Peterborough moved within five points of the Sky Bet League One automatic promotion places following a 5-1 demolition of Northampton Town in the Nene derby.

The Cobblers actually struck first at the Weston Homes Stadium, but they collapsed in the face of an onslaught from a rampant Posh side who recorded their third win in a row.

Northampton went ahead in the ninth minute when Marc Leonard’s inviting cross following a short corner was nodded in by captain Jon Guthrie at the back post.

But Peterborough were level in the 25th minute when Jadel Katongo played in a terrific low ball that was finished off by Ephron Mason-Clark.

Kwame Poku then completed a rapid turnaround three minutes later when he whipped a shot into the bottom corner and it was 3-1 just before half-time when his mishit came off Jack Sowerby for Joel Randall to finish.

The Posh were relentless in the second half, with Hector Kyprianou heading in just before the hour and Josh Knight completing the rout after Randall’s corner wasn’t cleared.