OXFORD United's 13-game unbeaten run came to an end as they bowed out of the Capital One Cup against Sheffield Wednesday.

Atdhe Nuhiu's 54th-minute header proved the difference and on the balance of play the visitors could have no complaints about the Owls booking a place at Newcastle United the third round.

A much-changed United side were never out of the game, but rarely looked like scoring and lost Sam Long to what looked a nasty injury.

It all meant a first defeat since March and they will now refocus on their Sky Bet League Two campaign, which continues at home to Yeovil Town on Saturday.

Both sides made wholesale changes, with Michael Appleton making six alterations to the XI from Saturday's 1-1 draw at Mansfield Town.

Long and Chey Dunkley, who had not played a minute of football this season, came into the back four, John Lundstram made his first start alongside Josh Ruffels, while Ryan Taylor partnered Patrick Hoban up front.

United had sprinted into a 3-0 lead inside 12 minutes of their first round tie at Brentford, but here they were on the back foot in the early exchanges.

Goalkeeper Sam Slocombe made a point blank save from Wednesday skipper Tom Lees, who rose highest at a corner in the fifth minute.

Vincent Sasso fired just over from an acute angle shortly afterwards as the hosts made a strong start.

United battled hard, but struggled to retain the ball with Hoban and Taylor often on different wavelengths.

The visitors' sum total of efforts before the break were a header from Dunkley and Taylor's shot from range - both of which missed the target.

There were plenty of nervous moments at the other end. United's defensive efforts were summed up by Long, who showed excellent anticipation to prevent Nuhiu going through on goal in the 33rd minute.

Unfortunately the defender's night took a turn for worse late in the half, when he fell awkwardly clearing a ball.

It immediately looked serious and Long was stretchered off to applause from all four sides of Hillsborough.

United will have been pleased to get to the break on level terms, but parity lasted just another nine minutes.

Wednesday pounced on a weak O'Dowda clearance and the resulting deep cross was not dealt with.

Wallace drove the ball back into the danger zone, where it ricocheted kindly for Nuhiu to score, despite United protests for handball and a foul on Slocombe.

Immediately United created their clearest chance of the night, when O'Dowda got in behind the back four and curled a shot just the wrong side of the post.

Wednesday looked the more likely to score, though, and it took a superb save from Slocombe to deny a powerful header from Marco Matias on 69 minutes.

But while it was only 1-0 the tie was still alive and Appleton threw on Danny Rose and Danny Hylton for the latter stages.

The home fans began to grow nervous as United committed men forward and their side could not kill the game on the counter-attack.

But the closest the visitors came to an equaliser was an 89th-minute free-kick from Alex MacDonald which fizzed over the crossbar.

Sheffield Wed (4-2-3-1): Price, Hunt, Lees, Sasso, Helan, Lopez, Semedo, Lavery (Matias 64), Lee, Wallace (Sougou 64), Nuhiu.

Unused subs: Wildsmith, Palmer, Hutchinson, McGugan, Bus.

Booked: Lees, Lee.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Slocombe, Long, Mullins, Dunkley, Skarz, MacDonald, Lundstram, Ruffels, O'Dowda, Taylor, Hoban. Subs used: Sercombe (Long 45), Rose (Lundstram 70), Hylton (Hoban 77). Unused subs: Crocombe, Baldock, Roofe, Wright.

Booked: Dunkley.

Referee: David Webb (County Durham).

Attendance: 11,799 (831 visitors).