Gary Rowett enjoyed a winning start to life as Oxford United manager as the ghosts of Christmas past struck to sink miserly Cardiff City 3-2 at the Kassam Stadium.

In a first half of few opportunities it was former Bluebird Mark Harris who broke the deadlock, as the Wales striker fired home from close range after a moment of rare quality from the home side split the Cardiff defence.

The hosts made the result safe with two goals in four minutes after the interval as another former Cardiff player, defender Ciaron Brown, headed home a second before Przemyslaw Placheta crashed home a sensational third.

Cardiff substitute Cian Ashford scored a late consolation goal for Cardiff after some slack marking and Callum Robinson scored with nearly the final touch of the game, but it was not enough to save them from a defeat that moves Oxford out of the bottom three and leaves Cardiff firmly in relegation trouble.

There was no mistaking that this was a pivotal contest for two sides who have struggled all season.

For Oxford, this represents arguably their most important victory of the campaign whereas the Bluebirds are now without question battling to survive relegation.

This was a high-stakes contest for two clubs in wretched form who entered Christmas Day ensconced in the Championship relegation zone, the first league meeting between the sides since January 2000.

Rowett was able to recall Louie Sibley and Siriki Dembele from ankle injuries as he named an Oxford United starting XI for the first time, while Cardiff boss Omer Riza made two changes to his starting side as the Bluebirds switched to a back three.

However, the omens of the day seemed better for the hosts with Cardiff especially poor in recent years on Boxing Day, winning only two of their last 23 league games and without a win on 26 December since 2012.

With all the talk of this being a 'six-pointer' it was unsurprising that the first half produced few clear cut opportunities, with both sides lacking confidence and quality in the final third.

It was the Bluebirds who came closest to opening the scoring on 14 minutes when Chris Willock's effort deflected onto the crossbar, with Yakou Meite's effort on the rebound lacking the power to beat goalkeeper Jamie Cumming.

Cardiff were enjoying the greater possession and forcing the hosts onto the back foot, but never really looked like they were liable to turn those advantages into an opening goal.

Therefore it was probably little surprise to Cardiff fans that the hosts took the lead with their very first effort on goal as Placheta's pinpoint cross was turned home by former Cardiff striker Harris.

Cardiff desperately needed an improvement after the interval but got anything but, as the hosts showed a ruthless side to fully exploit the Bluebirds' deficiencies.

Brown scored the crucial second goal as he powered a header home from Tyler Goodrham's corner.

Placheta scored a sensational third four minutes later, as he curled home emphatically from long range with a brilliant left-footed effort.

It was the hosts who looked more likely to add to the scoring as they went into cruise control, but the Bluebirds did snatch a consolation when substitute Ashford was given too much time and space in the penalty area to pick his spot on 82 minutes.

The goal stirred the Bluebirds into life and Robinson added a second with virtually the last kick of the game, but it was too little too late as they slipped to three points adrift of safety.

Oxford United boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio Oxfordshire:

"We certainly made it harder for ourselves today. We did some really good stuff. In your first game you are looking for little bits, you are never going to get a complete performance.

"We were looking for little bits we could work on and build on and there were a lot of positives.

"On the ball when we settled down I thought we moved it well and we scored good goals at good times.

"In the second half we scored two good goals… to get into a 3-0 position was terrific, but you don't want to allow the opposition to get back into it."

Cardiff City boss Omer Riza told BBC Radio Wales:

"In key moments you can't afford to make the mistakes we made and not show the urgency we needed to shut-down and stop things from progressing.

"We made key mistakes in key areas. For the first goal we gave the ball away and then didn't track runners. Before that there was nothing in it.

"The second goal from a corner is disappointing and in the third goal… there was no urgency to stop him. It's 3-0 before you know it and then it is hard to get back into the game.

"We changed systems three times today. We scored two goals from those changes, but by then it is all too late. There are 60 points to play for and still a lot of games left in the season."