Fake U's:1 U's:2
Despite having been here for a couple of years now, Oxford are blatantly still in denial about their non-league status. £17 to get in? £2.70 for a programme? Just so you know guys, making everything expensive doesn’t mean the likes of Droylsden and Stafford will start resembling actual football teams.
As well, I don’t know who designed the Kassam Stadium, but one has to wonder what possessed them to put the stands so far apart? It doesn’t make for a good atmosphere and on a night like last night everybody gets freezing cold, brr.
Anyway, JQ made just one change to line up, recalling Dan Gleeson in place of the injured Stephen Reed, and allowing Pitt to return to the left flank. And Courtney should have given us an early lead, but dragged his left footed shot wide with Oxford stopper Billy Turley at his mercy after a good interchange between Boylan and Beesley created the chance.
Oxford started like the mid-table meanderers they have become, looking competent in patches without unduly threatening our backline, and it was no surprise when we hit the front. Pitt played Wolleaston in down the left, and his cross was met by Boylan, who looped his header over Turley and into the net. 1-0.
Unfortunately our lead was as short-lived as a Danny Brown comeback from injury, and the fake U’s were back on level terms two minutes later. A straight forward long ball caught the back three napping, and Matt Green latched onto it, beat Hatswell with ease and stroked the ball confidently past Potter with the outside of his boot. 1-1.
United resumed their domination, with Carden shooting wide from outside the box and Boylan hitting a tame effort into the keeper’s arms. Potter made one slight error of judgement just before half time, fumbling an inswinging corner, but fortunately there were plenty of white shirts on hand to clear to safety.
JQ made a half time change, introducing Farrell for the hard working but largely anonymous Beesley, and apparently switching to 4-4-2. I didn’t notice much difference in shape, but it was apparent that Carden was playing a deeper role, trying to fill the space that Oxford target man Craig McAllister had spent much of the first half drifting into.
Play switched from end to end with little in the way of chances, until we regained the lead in the 57th minute. Evil used to his strength to see off a challenge from Barry Quinn, and slide a pass into the Boylan, whose left footed shot across the keeper from just inside the box found the net. Vintage Boylan, 2-1.
Back came Oxford, and Potter turned a McAllister shot round the post as the home side pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Darren Patterson introduced two extra strikers and set his boys up in a 4-2-4 formation, but beyond throwing bodies forward they seemed to have little idea how to break down United’s characteristically dogged back line.
That said it was only thanks to some stupendous goalkeeping from Potter that we retained our lead during a five minute spell when Oxford seemed to have about a million corners and free kicks. His first (and best) save came from a Luke Foster header, which he twisted superbly to turn over the bar. He also parried away two resulting corners, and despite losing his bearings on the third flag kick, Courtney Pitt came to the rescue and headed clear a goalbound shot.
Oxford offered little after this, and United played out the last ten minutes fairly comfortably, with Evil using his bulk to good effect to keep the ball in the corner during four long minutes of injury time.
This winning business is getting a bit monotonous now to be honest, I’m getting fed up of saying the same thing ever week. But with Aldershot having just one league game in the next couple of weeks to our three, it’s not totally beyond the realms of possibility that we’ll be just one point behind the leaders going into the Easter period. And yes, I know that contradicts what I said yesterday, but it’s a football fans prerogative to change his mind, isn’t it?
Man of the Match: Danny Potter – Another display of excellent goalkeeping which probably won us two points.
As well, I don’t know who designed the Kassam Stadium, but one has to wonder what possessed them to put the stands so far apart? It doesn’t make for a good atmosphere and on a night like last night everybody gets freezing cold, brr.
Anyway, JQ made just one change to line up, recalling Dan Gleeson in place of the injured Stephen Reed, and allowing Pitt to return to the left flank. And Courtney should have given us an early lead, but dragged his left footed shot wide with Oxford stopper Billy Turley at his mercy after a good interchange between Boylan and Beesley created the chance.
Oxford started like the mid-table meanderers they have become, looking competent in patches without unduly threatening our backline, and it was no surprise when we hit the front. Pitt played Wolleaston in down the left, and his cross was met by Boylan, who looped his header over Turley and into the net. 1-0.
Unfortunately our lead was as short-lived as a Danny Brown comeback from injury, and the fake U’s were back on level terms two minutes later. A straight forward long ball caught the back three napping, and Matt Green latched onto it, beat Hatswell with ease and stroked the ball confidently past Potter with the outside of his boot. 1-1.
United resumed their domination, with Carden shooting wide from outside the box and Boylan hitting a tame effort into the keeper’s arms. Potter made one slight error of judgement just before half time, fumbling an inswinging corner, but fortunately there were plenty of white shirts on hand to clear to safety.
JQ made a half time change, introducing Farrell for the hard working but largely anonymous Beesley, and apparently switching to 4-4-2. I didn’t notice much difference in shape, but it was apparent that Carden was playing a deeper role, trying to fill the space that Oxford target man Craig McAllister had spent much of the first half drifting into.
Play switched from end to end with little in the way of chances, until we regained the lead in the 57th minute. Evil used to his strength to see off a challenge from Barry Quinn, and slide a pass into the Boylan, whose left footed shot across the keeper from just inside the box found the net. Vintage Boylan, 2-1.
Back came Oxford, and Potter turned a McAllister shot round the post as the home side pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Darren Patterson introduced two extra strikers and set his boys up in a 4-2-4 formation, but beyond throwing bodies forward they seemed to have little idea how to break down United’s characteristically dogged back line.
That said it was only thanks to some stupendous goalkeeping from Potter that we retained our lead during a five minute spell when Oxford seemed to have about a million corners and free kicks. His first (and best) save came from a Luke Foster header, which he twisted superbly to turn over the bar. He also parried away two resulting corners, and despite losing his bearings on the third flag kick, Courtney Pitt came to the rescue and headed clear a goalbound shot.
Oxford offered little after this, and United played out the last ten minutes fairly comfortably, with Evil using his bulk to good effect to keep the ball in the corner during four long minutes of injury time.
This winning business is getting a bit monotonous now to be honest, I’m getting fed up of saying the same thing ever week. But with Aldershot having just one league game in the next couple of weeks to our three, it’s not totally beyond the realms of possibility that we’ll be just one point behind the leaders going into the Easter period. And yes, I know that contradicts what I said yesterday, but it’s a football fans prerogative to change his mind, isn’t it?
Man of the Match: Danny Potter – Another display of excellent goalkeeping which probably won us two points.
Naff sponsorship of the Match: “Congratulations from the Oxford Mail” announced the tannoy man after Green’s goal. Perhaps we could get the Evening News to do a similar thing. Or not.
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