Revenge, as Oxford would swear, truly is a main course best dished out in front of a 30,000-strong ­yellow wall at Wembley, while contesting a Championship spot. Sixty-seven days might be footballing light years, but that Bolton swatted Des Buckingham’s team aside by five clear goals so recently did not bode well for Oxford. Yet the only point of clarity here was, courtesy of a pair of Josh Murphy goals, how deserving United were of victory.

Buckingham insists he has never rewatched that March defeat, but did use it to recalibrate. On Saturday, he implemented a plan that cackled in the face of Bolton’s “clear favourites” billing.