James Quinn and Enzo Maresca grabbed the goals as West Brom maintained their determined bid to secure a top sixth spot by recording back-to-back victories for the first time since August.

It was always Albion who held the edge in the ill-tempered Hawthorns clash in which United had Joey Beauchamp sent off and four other players booked in a niggly first half.

Albion, who beat Oxford for the first time since August 1993, opened the scoreline in the 38th minute when Quinn ended a three-month goal drought.

Dutch midfielder Richard Sneekes began the move with a superb ball to fellow countryman Fabian De Freitas.

He nodded the ball down to the unmarked Quinn and the Northern Ireland international kept his cool before lashing a well placed shot past helpless keeper Paul Gerrard.

Albion, who were beaten 3-0 by Oxford at the Manor Ground last September, secured victory in the 78th minute when Maresca grabbed his first goal for the club after his move last summer from Cagliari.

A shot from Kevin Kilbane rebounded off the woodwork to Maresca and the little Italian midfielder made no mistake with a superb swerving shot in the far corner of the net.

Beauchamp was given his marching orders five minutes into the second half when he felt United should have been awarded a corner.

The striker made his feelings clear about the decision to the linesman and, after consulting his official, referee Stephen Bennett immediately gave the player his marching orders.

In the one sided first half it was always Albion who held the edge with the hard working Gerrard making one fine save to dive and smother a goal-bound shot from Quinn.

Then in the 24th minute Maresca came close with a hard angled drive that flew into the side netting.

The best chance to fall Oxford's way came in the 13th minute when Andy Thomson screwed his shot just wide of the far post to a good pass from Paul Tait.

Teams:

West Brom: Whitehead, McDermott, Potter, Flynn, Burgess, Carbon, Quinn, Sneekes, De Freitas, Hughes (Maresca 16), Kilbane, Maresca (Bortolazzi 85).

Subs Not Used: Murphy.

Goals: Quinn 38, Maresca 78.

Oxford Utd: Gerrard, Robinson, Powell (Remy 66), Gray, Watson, Gilchrist, Cook (Banger 71), Tait, Francis (Murphy 54), Thomson,Beauchamp.

Sent Off: Beauchamp (50).

Booked: Gerrard, Gray, Francis, Tait.

Att: 13,875

Ref: S Bennett (Orpington).