OXFORD United held their nerve on the final day of the season to get the win they needed to secure a place in Sky Bet League One next season.

A nervy first half which featured a torrential downpour will have had supporters checking the scores elsewhere, but in the end United did not need a favour as they stormed to a 3-0 victory.

Chey Dunkley’s bullet header eased the tension, before Chris Maguire added the luxury of a two-goal cushion to make the closing stages more comfortable.

Subsitute Callum O'Dowda added gloss in stoppage time to get the party started before the full-time whistle.

  • Oxford Unitedf celebrate promotion in the changing room

It sealed a memorable season for Michael Appleton's men, who claimed only the sixth automatic promotion in the club's history.

Kemar Roofe won his fitness battle and started the game as one of two changes from the XI which began the 2-0 win at Carlisle United.

He replaced Callum O’Dowda, but Joe Skarz did not recover from his knock, so Josh Ruffels switched to left back and John Lundstram came into the side.

The players were given a rousing welcome by the sold-out United areas of the Kassam Stadium.

Danny Hylton collected the supporters’ player of the year trophy just before kick-off and the forward came within inches of giving them an early goal.

Hylton hassled Aaron Pierre into conceding a second-minute corner, from which United’s No 10 hooked a shot just wide.

Goalkeeper Ryan Allsop was also worried a few minutes later when Hylton jinked into the box, only to see his shot from 15 yards roll past the post.

The mood was boosted further by news rivals Bristol Rovers had fallen behind, prompting the unlikely chant of “1-0 to Dagenham”.

The strugglers’ lead at the Memorial Ground did not last long and Wycombe went on to see plenty of the ball, although goalkeeper Benji Buchel was not tested before the break.

United clearly had a game plan of attacking at pace to stretch the Chairboys’ defence and one quick throw from Alex MacDonald saw Chris Maguire let fly with a dipping 30-yard volley which found the roof of Allsop’s net.

Roofe’s presence in the side was a boost, but the 26-goal forward did not look fully fit.

He was unable to find space when a slip from Pierre gifted Hylton a run on goal, but as he looked to find Roofe the chance went begging.

Bizarrely given the blazing sunshine which greeted the players earlier in the afternoon, torrential rain fell for several minutes.

United continued to create promising openings, none more so than on the half-hour mark, when Hylton flicked a low cross from Roofe just wide.

Chris Maguire was similarly just off target with a free-kick, while Allsop was finally forced into a save late in the half by a low strike from John Lundstram.

United went in level at the break, just like their promotion rivals Accrington Stanley and Bristol Rovers.

Nerves were beginning to jangle early in the second half, when Lundstram had to clear off the line from Anthony Stewart after Buchel’s punch fell to the centre back.

But just eight minutes after the restart, United had lift-off.

Hylton’s shot hit a prone Stewart and rebounded for a corner, from which Dunkley got free to power a header into the net from Maguire’s delivery.

The home fans let out a huge roar which was heard in Cowley, as a week’s worth of nervous tension was released.

United were ahead, but the job was far from done.

They were thankful to Buchel’s quick reactions on the hour, when he sprinted off his line to smother the ball after Stephen McGinn’s sharp turn had threatened to carve out a simple chance.

United needed a second goal and Allsop’s workload began to increase, with Roofe and Maguire denied in quick succession.

But the pressure was growing and 18 minutes from time, Wycombe buckled.

Hylton played a clever pass into Roofe, who went down under Pierre’s challenge in the box.

Maguire, who scored from the spot in the win at Carlisle, was kept waiting but the Scot was ice cool from the spot and sent Allsop the wrong way to double the lead.

It gave the hosts the insurance of a cushion, which they almost needed.

Substitute Gozie Ugwu should have scored shortly after coming on, but although his lob beat Buchel, it dropped wide.

Wycombe never looked like threatening United after that moment and it got even better for the hosts in stoppage time, when O'Dowda got the better of Sido Jombati and beat Allsop.

It was the 107th goal of a campaign which will live long in the memory.

Oxford Utd: Buchel, Kenny, Dunkley, Wright, Ruffels, MacDonald (O’Dowda 78), Sercombe, Lundstram, Maguire, Hylton (Bowery 85), Roofe (Waring 87).

Unused subs: Slocombe, Mullins, Ashby, Roberts.

Wycombe: Allsop, McCarthy, Pierre, Stewart, Jombati, Harriman, Bean, Rowe, McGinn (Kretzschmar 62), Hayes (Liburd 73), Thompson (Ugwu 62).

Unused subs: Siegrist, Sellers, Sellars.

Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).

Attendance: 11,815 (1,054 visitors).