Oxford United 4-0 Burton Albion: Karl Robinson's U's snatch League One play-off spot
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Olamide Shodipo's 10th-minute header was his 10th League One goal of the season for Oxford
Oxford capitalised on Portsmouth's final-day slip-up to secure a League One play-off spot by thrashing Burton at the Kassam Stadium.
Portsmouth's defeat by Accrington opened the door for the U's, who leapfrogged Pompey into sixth spot thanks to goals from Olamide Shodipo, Matty Taylor, Elliot Lee and Sam Winnall.
U's boss Karl Robinson was forced to watch the impressive victory from the stands, serving the first match of a four-game touchline ban that will now also encompass Oxford's play-off campaign.
But Robinson's absence from the sidelines failed to distract his players as they claimed a sixth victory in seven matches to arrive in the play-offs as arguably the form team.
Shodipo, on loan from Queens Park Rangers, buried a powerful header from Sam Long's cross to give Oxford, who struggled in the first half of the season before storming up the table, an early advantage.
The hosts never looked back, although there was a slice of fortune about their second goal, Taylor pouncing on Michael Mancienne's poorly-judged backwards header to nod in his 18th goal of the season.
Oxford keeper Jack Stevens saved well from Terry Taylor to preserve the two-goal cushion and the U's added a third after the break as Burton stopper Dillon Barnes could only help Lee's low free-kick in off the post.
Danny Rowe's cross-shot shaved the bar for Burton but Winnall lobbed home a classy 25-yarder in injury time as Oxford booked a two-legged semi-final against third-placed Blackpool in style.
Oxford United boss Karl Robinson:
"We'll go into the play-offs as the ones who are expecting not to go through. I'll be watching it from the stands again - that may be the best way for me.
"What a season it has been. Bottom of the table at one stage, fighting it out in the bottom four in November and now in the play-offs.
"I'm not concerned about me not being in the dug-out. It was more about us, not about me, and I felt we performed very calmly - and that's how I want us to be.
"One of our big motivations is that there will be fans here to watch us in our next game, the home leg of the play-offs. It's been an outstanding end to the season. I'm immensely proud of my team."