OXFORD United failed to make the most of their good spells as Andrew Shinnie made one goal and scored another to give ten-man Charlton Athletic the points.

The Scot laid on the opening goal for Conor Washington after the U’s had called the shots in the opening half-hour, without reward.

Simon Eastwood was unable to keep out Shinnie’s free-kick just before the break, which gave the Addicks a cushion.

United’s hopes of salvaging something from the game were given a shot in the arm when Ryan Inniss was sent off for a second bookable offence.

It gave them 25 minutes against ten men, but they were unable to take advantage and slipped to a fifth defeat in seven Sky Bet League One games to stay rooted in the bottom four.

A tight hamstring ruled out Marcus McGuane, handing Mide Shodipo a first U’s start in one of two changes from the win over Milton Keynes Dons a week earlier.

Sam Long replaced the injured Rob Atkinson, while John Mousinho returned among the substitutes to offer defensive cover.

Charlton came into the game as the form side, but the U’s quickly made themselves at home.

Had there been a home crowd inside the Valley, they would have got increasingly irritated with the way the visitors controlled the opening half-hour.

Karl Robinson’s men looked bright on the ball and passed with purpose.

After one such move, on 12 minutes, Sean Clare was brought down on the edge of the Charlton penalty area.

Josh Ruffels, on his 275th U’s appearance, fired in a free-kick which Addicks goalkeeper Ben Amos fumbled, but gathered before Sam Long could profit.

Both Mark Sykes and Anthony Forde got forward well from midfield. The latter came close to a sensational goal on 25 minutes, but after running fully 70 yards his shot flew wide.

United’s centre backs had hardly been troubled, with a host of hopeful through balls cut out.

But on 32 minutes the visitors were sliced open to concede.

Shinnie showed great vision to spot the run of Washington, who slotted past Eastwood. It was clever movement from the striker, but United had gifted him a huge gap between Elliott Moore and Clare, which gave him time to measure the finish.

United briefly thought they had found a quick equaliser through Matty Taylor, but Sykes had strayed offside before squaring.

If Robinson was frustrated at going in a goal down, his mood would have darkened when Charlton doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time.

Alex Gorrin fouled Omar Bogle near the corner of the U’s box and with the focus on players jockeying in the box awaiting a cross, Shinnie instead fired a shot which beat Eastwood and flew into the net.

A long ball from Moore early in the second half threatened to get Taylor through on goal.

Instead he was fouled just outside the box, from where Forde could not keep his free-kick down.

Charlton did not look troubled, but United were given a boost when Inniss collected two yellow cards in quick succession.

It gave the visitors 25 minutes against ten men – and they quickly had a great chance to halve the deficit.

Substitute Dan Agyei chested Forde’s cross into James Henry’s path, but from ten yards the skipper could not keep his left-footed shot down.

Charlton had to hang on, with Taylor, Sykes and Moore all denied from one attack in the 77th minute.

Agyei headed another chance over, as the U’s push fizzled out late on.

Charlton Ath (4-3-3): Amos, Gunter, Inniss, Famewo, Maatsen, Pratley, Watson, Shinnie, Washington (Forster-Caskey 90), Bogle (Purrington 82), Smyth.

Unused subs: Maynard-Brewer, Purrington, Williams, Levitt, Maddison, Aneke.

Booked: Inniss, Gunter.

Sent off: Inniss.

Oxford Utd (4-3-3): Eastwood, Clare, Moore, Long, Ruffels, Gorrin (Kelly 62), Forde (Hall 79), Sykes, Henry, Taylor, Shodipo (Agyei 62).

Unused subs: Stevens, Elechi, Mousinho, Cooper.

Booked: Gorrin, Henry, Moore, Kelly.

Referee: Craig Hicks (Surrey).