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20 Saturday Oct 2012

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Saturday 20th October 2012 ko 15.00

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 5 (Craddock 13 23 36 71 Potter 78)

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0

Att 5,403 (96 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3

I have to say I have a soft spot for Stanley. Their banner says it all, “The club that refused to die,”  rising from bankrupcy and oblivion, to a return to League football in 2006. It’s not lost on Oxford United fans that when Accrington folded in 1966, then  returned to the League, on both occasions it was Oxford United that swapped places with them! For those of us of a certain age, Accrington was imortalised in a famous advert for milk…

To the club’s credit, Carl Rice the actor in the advert, was guest of honour at Accrington’s home game against Forest Green Rovers during their Conference winning season. I was fortunate enough to be there! Today, Stanley are a benchmark for small clubs, surviving in the league despite the close presence of two much larger clubs locally, namely Blackburn and Bolton.

With Stanley 11th and Oxford 19th, you wouldn’t have predicted a drubbing like this! A few hours after the event I’m still trying to work out was it a case of United being excellent, or Stanley quite royally stinking? I suspect its a mixture of the both. Certainly a move to 4-4-2 suited the personel available to Chris Wilder, and in particular James Constable revelled in the service he got from the flanks where Alfie Potter and Sean Rigg had excellent games. The knock-downs from Constable were manna from heaven for Tom Craddock, and I’d point out that 3 of the 4 goals he scored were teed up by Constable (the other by Rigg). Craddock had, its perhaps superfluous to say, his best game for the club, working hard, closing down and taking the chances when they came. His goals were as predatory as they were welcome.

But the most welcome sight was a grinning Brummie making his first start of the season after injury. Yes, the warrior was back, and the defence looked all the more solid with Andy Whing there to marshall it. His departure, utterly exhausted in the 81st minute produced a spine-tingling standing ovation. That was the second remarkable crowd reaction, as a few minutes earlier when Craddock had scored his fourth, the chant had been “Beano, Beano,” a comment on how the talismanic Constable had unselfishly worked to give Craddock his chances.

But it was Tom Craddock, quite correctly, who took the plaudits,  and became the first Oxford United player to score 4 goals in a game since John Durnin did at the Manor Ground against Luton Town in 1992. For the record, I was at that game too!

Take the Nil

11 Thursday Oct 2012

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Saturday 6th October 2012 ko 3pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 0

GILLINGHAM 0

Att 6,690 (1,014 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (ic Ox Mail)

Choices, Choices…. So many games I could have chosen, the Bedfordshire hop was busy attracting around 100 people to each of its three games, and there was no lack of other attractive looking games. In the end two things influenced my decision, sheer exhaustion after one of the busiest Septembers ever, and the chance to catch up with schoolfriends Saleem and Carmine after the game. I hadn’t seen them for over 20 years, so it was an easy decision to make.

There was also the hope if not expectation that Oxford United had turned the corner. The 3-2 win over AFC Wimbledon had ended a dreadful run of 6 straight defeats, but the Gills were a different prospect altogether, top of the table, unbeaten away, and with confidence high.

First on the agenda was the presentation of David Langan to the crowd. David was a hero to anyone who grew up watching Oxford during the 1980’s as the club reached the top flight and won the League Cup. His overlapping runs made him a popular fixture at right back, but injuries took their toll, and he still suffers from the aftermath of the operations and injections. His autobiography, “Running through walls,” looks to be an involving read.

But back to the game in hand. With Wayne Brown injured Chris Wilder had little alternative but to restore Ryan Clarke between the sticks, and with Michael Raynes out injured his former teammate John Mullins arrived on loan to 2013 in the morning from Rotherham. It was to be those two players that had the most influence on the game, Clarke pulling off 4 stunning saves, and Mullins looking anything other than an unwanted defender at a fellow League 2 club who hadn’t even trained with the team.

It became clear that the number one priority was to keep midfielder Chris Whelpdale quiet. That they managed, of a fashion although Jake Forster-Caskey did have to clear a glancing header off the line from the former Peterborough man. Stirring stuff, and if the grit will have pleased manager Wilder, the increasing injury list will have not. First Damian Batt limped off then Deane Smalley struggled to make it through to half time. Surprisingly after the break he was replaced by Tom Craddock rather than the more obvious James Constable.

It took until almost the hour mark for United to create their first shot on target, Potter seeing his effort tipped over the bar by Stuart Nelson. Constable eventually was introduced for the last 10 minutes, and very nearly set up the winner, his reverse pass from the right found Craddock whose shot was deflected over the bar. It just shows how the small the margins are between success and failure. I wonder what will happen when Wilder is able to select anything like his first choice eleven? In the meantime, I think just about every Oxford United would have taken the clean sheet before this game kicked off.

 

 

Grecian 2012

14 Friday Sep 2012

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Saturday 8th September 2012 ko 3.00pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Forster-Caskey 54p Potter 63) Constable sent off 81 (2nd booking)

EXETER CITY 4 (Cureton 11 50 Bennett 26 O’Flynn 72)

Att 6,405 (695 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc’ Oxford Mail)

The day started with a fond farewell, but no the one it looked like being for the majority of the preceding week. Better-informed folk than I had linked OUFC manager Chirs Wilder with the vacancy at Coventry City, but on matchday nothing had happened, not even an approach, so the goodbye was to goalkeeping coach Alan Hodgkinson. He’s now 76, but the experience gained from playing for England, Sheffield United and Manchester United will be sorely missed.

It was two veterans that undid United, John O’Flynn, and particularly Jamie Cureton. I never did get to the bottom of why Bristol Rovers let Cureton go to Reading for a pittance, all those years ago, but wherever he’s been he’s scored routinely. Today was no exception, as with just 10 minutes gone, the defence let him run at them so he let fly from 20 yards, and the ball flew into the top left hand corner. A stunning strike, but one that should have been never allowed to happen.

It got worse, as the OUFC defence debated a decision to give Exeter a corner. It didn’t look over the line, but the concentration levels had dropped, and Scott Bennett headed home from the corner kick. It wasn’t that United were failing to create chances, it was just when they arrived they weren’t converted. Sean Rigg saw two efforts blocked and Simon Heslop shot wide as United attempted in vain to find a quick reponse.

I expected a change of tactics for the second half, but nothing was altered until Exeter got their 3rd. Michael Raynes will wonder how a 37 year old managed to but nutmeg and outpace him, but the former Norwich man’s finish was superb. In fact the warm applause from the home support as Cureton limped off a few minutes later, was as much a sigh of relief as it was appreciative.

United found a way back into the game when Damian Batt’s run into the box was crudely ended by Craig Woodman, and Jake Forster-Caskey made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending Artur Keysiak the wrong way. When Adam Chapman’s free kick was headed across goal by Jon-Paul Pittman for Alfie Potter to bundle home, there was a sense of belief. That was tempered by a missed header by Deane Smalley that looked easier to bury and blunted completely by Exeter’s other veteran Paul O’Flynn, who beat Jake Wright and fired home across Ryan Clarke.

If that was the door closing on OUFC’s chances, then the dismissal of James Constable was that door being bolted. Only on the pitch for 8 minutes, he picked up a booking for a marginal foul, then a minute later a booking which I couldn’t fathom, but was later put down to “Unsporting conduct,” saw the big man troop off furious, and United’s chances disappeared down the tunnel with him.

So, let’s go back to where we started. Will Chris Wilder go to Coventry? Who knows, but if he doesn’t, will that be because Oxford United want to keep him, or that Coventry aren’t interested? Given the current lack of information coming from Grenoble Road, I reckon we’ll find that one out from the Midlands.

 

Us & Them

09 Sunday Sep 2012

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Wednesday 5th September 2012 ko 7.45pm

Football League Trophy 1st Round

OXFORD UNITED 1 (Potter 88)

swindon town 0

Att 7,746 (1311 away)

Entry £20.50

Programme £3

There’s a fairly well established routine for Oxford United’s involvement for this competition. Prices are reduced to a uniform £10, and the North Stand isn’t opened for home fans. The programme is smaller, and a weakened side put out. There is of course of exception to any rule of Oxford United, and that is swindon town, so none of the above happened!

If you don’t understand the rivalry, then please have a read of my previous A420 post and I think you’ll get the picture. I’d also point out that with the way the draw is regionalised, and that the competition is only for the bottom two divisions of the league, another A420 derby was perhaps more likely than you’d expect!

Last season both sides got something out of the rivalry. Oxford completed a double over the Robins, including a first win at the County Ground since 1973. swindon took the championship, and did so in some style. To add a certain piquancy to the tie, if any were needed, swindon were yet to score at the Kassam stadium, the FA Cup fixture in 2002 finishing 1-0 and last season’s league fixture 2-0. You felt that a side having strengthened in the summer further, would put to bed at least one of those statistics.

There was also the Paolo Di Canio factor to consider. There’s no arguing with a championship in your first season, but there’s always the propensity for the excitable Italian to explode. Already this season Captain Paul Caddis has been shipped out on loan following a bust-up with the manager, then another bust-up this time with goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, was papered over. I noted that the swindon fans seemed wholly behind their keeper, so perhaps they felt their manager calling their player “The worst professional I have ever worked with,” was a little wide of the mark. You just wonder what could happen next with Di Canio, it certainly isn’t dull at the other end of the A420!

It was a frantic affair as all local derbies should be. Smoke bombs were thrown, insults hurled, and there was an atmosphere I’ve never encountered at a FL Trophy game. Oxford with a midfield injury crisis gave a debut to Arsenal loanee Daniel Boateng in holding midfield role. He showed what a great prospect he’s considered to be, at centre half. swindon made by far the better start and missed a hatful of chances, the most glaring being Darren Ward’s free header from Adam Rooney’s free kick from the right. Adam Chapman’s dipping free kick after 40 minutes represented the U’s best chance of the half.

What turned the game was the introduction of Alfie Potter (for Boateng) on 53 minutes, his desire to run at defenders and a devastating turn of pace gave the Robins defence something different to worry about. Di Canio’s reaction was to sacrifice midfielder Giles Coke in favour of centre half Aden Flint. It cost his side the game, as Flint collided with Ward allowing James Constable space in the left channel. He looked up and his measured pass found Potter making a late run into the box, and he made no mistake slotting home under Foderingham.

That took the fight out of the visitors, as Oxford found it straightforward to play out time, for a victory that will be hard to put into context. Both sets of fans will either enjoy the win, or mourn the loss depending on their allegiance, but despite Di Canio’s pre-match comments about targeting this trophy the relevance of this result to both sides will be how they perform in the following weeks.

Wriggle

28 Tuesday Aug 2012

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Tuesday 21st August 2012 ko 19.45

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Craddock 54 87)

SOUTHEND UNITED 0 Timlin sent off 27 (2nd booking)

Att 6,001 (290 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3

So many questions remain to be answered, but one statistic is beyond doubt, OUFC are top of League 2 and are yet to concede a goal. So no worries then? Hmmm not sure about that! Oxford’s cause was no doubt aided by Mike Timlin’s collection of the only 2 cards of the game, the last being an utterly daft trip on Jake Forster-Caskey.

Yet all the old frailties were there for all to see Continue reading →

Pass for passes sake

17 Friday Aug 2012

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Tuesday 14th August 2012 ko 7.45pm

Football League Cup First Round

OXFORD UNITED 0

AFC BOURNEMOUTH 0

Att 3,788 (691 away)

Entry £15.50

Programme £3

I seems like an age since I last watched a game at Grenoble Road, a mere shade under 3 months, 52 games and 3 countries ago. A lot has changed at OUFC, a new chairman, and new players, with others still missing. Michael Duberry is out long-term, having just had a worrying neck operation, Andy Whing’s injured too, and no one seems to know what Peter Leven’s prognosis is. On a trivial note what were the club doing charging £3 for a drastically thinner programme? Continue reading →

Probables? Possibles?

22 Sunday Jul 2012

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Friday 20th July 2012 ko 7.45pm

Pre-Season Friendly

DIDCOT TOWN 1 (Vincente 84)

OXFORD UNITED 1 (Smalley 78)

Att 593

Entry £9

Programme £2

To be honest, on Friday afternoon I was fully intending to give this one a miss. The new job with its commute is tiring, and I’ve been to Loop Meadow Stadium many times. However Dad asked if I was going, and that’s Dad-speak for “Can you give me a lift?”

And there’s a lot to like about the place. From the ground next door, used by Didcot Casuals that is in fact the floodlights and rail from Town’s old ground at Station Road, to the well-designed stand with far better sightlines that at, say Oxford City’s Court Place Farm. There’s a spacious bar, and now there’s cover behind the goal to keep the groundgraders happy. That, sadly is for the time being is irrelevant with Town relegated to the Southern League- South and West Division.

More than anything else it’s the friendly welcome that appeals most, and this evening was no exception. Didcot tends to be thought of as the town with the power station, and the cooling towers do dominate, but its significant garrison town too. There’s a significant railway presence because Lord Wantage prevented the Great Western Railway from having a station in Abingdon, thus passing the economic benefits around 5 miles south. The Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed station has been long since superceded, but the nearby Didcot Railway Centre is well worth a visit.

It was everything I expected from a pre-season fixture between these sides. Good passing football from both sides with the visitors dominating possession. United could, and should have led, but found no-one to do the simple thing and pass the ball into the net. James Constable forced a smart save from Marco Belloli in the home goal, and later saw his improvised bicycle kick sail just over the bar. Didcot were working extremely hard but could not get to grips with Jake Forster-Caskey who, in midfield was behind almost everything good United did. One through ball to Constable will live long in the memory, although the chance was eventually smothered by Belloli.

Oxford made 8 changes at half time, with just Adam Chapman, Wayne Brown and triallist Femi Orunuga remaining. Orunuga, formerly of Everton didn’t last long, yet another piece of trickery with no end product saw him replaced by first-year professional Tyrone Marsh. Chapman in the first half showed what a good midfielder he is and in the second, how he really shouldn’t play at right back. His sloppy pass was intercepted by Anaclet Odhiambo but Wayne Brown saved well.

Last season, the form of forward Deane Smalley was a major disappointment. A one-goal return and an unsuccessful loan spell at Bradford City, can only be improved on, and two goals in two pre-season games is a fair start. The root of the goal was an excellent diagonal pass from Tyrone Marsh to Sean Rigg on the right side of the box. Rigg crossed well and Smalley timed his run perfectly to tap home.

And that should have been that, but Odhiambo’s cross was horribly spilled by Brown, and there was Danilson Vincente to tap into the empty net. Of course you shouldn’t read too much into friendlies, but have a look at the right side of the teamsheet and ignoring the triallists, its hard not to see the two OUFC line-ups as “Probables” for the first half and “Possibles” for the second.

 

The Crunch

28 Saturday Apr 2012

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Saturday 28th April 2012 ko 3.00pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 0

SOUTHEND UNITED 2 (Hall 19 Mohsni 31)

Att 9,356 (1,106 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (incl Ox Mail)

Right let’s get one thing straight, Southend were by far the better team and deserved their win. One look at the two benches shows you why. For Oxford the youth team keeper, a loanee, and two players returning from injury to complement Adam Chapman. For Southend fire power from Elliot Benyon and almost unbelievably, Freddy Eastwood. It says something that neither were needed.

It was game with plenty resting on it for both teams. For Oxford a chance to return to the playoff zone, and for Southend the chance to keep in the chase for automatic promotion. With goalkeeper Wayne Brown having damaged his knee in training Middlesbrough’s youth keeper Connor Ripley was drafted in late yesterday. Peter Leven’s shoulder was deemed to be the wrong side of acceptable, and Cristian Montano made way for Jon-Paul Pittman. A fit-again Damian Batt allowed Supporters’ player of the year Andy Whing to return to midfield. Adam Chapman was relegated to the bench in favour of a supposedly fit-again Simon Heslop.

Oxford made a bright start with the impressive Dean Morgan seeing his shot blocked by Cameron Belford, only for Asa Hall to blast the rebound over. Southend soon took control over the midfield, and two through balls saw Southend forwards make forward runs only to be stopped crudely by firstly Jake Wright, then Michael Duberry. Both were booked but it was the free kick as a result of the second that took the game towards the visitors. Ryan Hall’s 19th-minute effort had power, but was straight at Ripley, who somehow let the ball pass through his hands and into the net.

At a stroke Oxford’s confidence and fluency evaporated and the struggle got more up-hill in the 31st minute. A looping cross from the left should have been dealt with, but Bilel Mohsni peeled off the back of marker Liam Davis to glance a header perfectly into the bottom right corner.

Ripley was beaten for a third time 6 minutes before the break, when Neil Harris’ chip beat the young debutant, but Duberry raced back to hook the ball off the line. The ever reliable Whing forced a decent save from Belford, but at half time the Shrimpers would good value for their lead.

For the second half Chapman replaced Heslop, but at no point did the hosts regain full fluency. Pittman scuffed a Scott Rendell cross, then saw a better effort blocked by Belford.  As Oxford got more desperate Tom Craddock replaced Morgan and then Montano the hard-working Andy Whing, who’d done nothing wrong. Chapman fired a free kick just over the bar, and Montano’s jinking run into the box resulted in him being hacked down. To everyone’s amazement referee Lee Collins saw fit to award only a goal kick.

As the game wound down I listened to the supporters’ comments. Yes, OUFC were very second best, but sat as I was in front of the press box, you could see what the problem was. For sat in the press area were the likes of Ryan Clarke, Peter Leven, Alfie Potter, and James Constable, all injured. That’s where Oxford season has disappeared to, mournfully sitting with the journalists, unavailable. Much has been made of Chris Wilder’s use of the loan market, but if those and others had been available for more of the season, I’m certain we’d be at worst, in the playoff zone.

As it is, Oxford need to win at Port Vale next Saturday, and hope Crewe lose at home to nothing-to-play for Aldershot to sneak an unlikely play-off slot. At the final whistle the people I sit with wished each other a happy summer, in the cold and gloom.

I’ve been hearing some supporters call for Chris Wilder to be sacked. Well, I’d be careful what you wish for. What manager would want to come to a club that’s sacked a manager who’s improved the club’s league position each season of his tenure? And that’s not considering who’s available either, although I’m sure there are a few that think that Pep Guardiola could be convinced by a club flat on Greater Leys. Patience is a virtue, it took 4 years to get out of the Conference, and simply throwing money at it isn’t a long-term solution, just ask the likes of Plymouth…….

The Playoff for the Playoff

15 Sunday Apr 2012

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Saturday 14th April 2012 ko 3.00pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 0

GILLINGHAM 0

Att 7,322 (641 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc Ox Mail)

At the end of my last Oxford United match report, I pondered whether U’s keeper Ryan Clarke would have got to the lob that gave Torquay a point on Monday, if he hadn’t been injured. Wayne Brown’s first league appearance of the season tells me that he probably would. Such is football.

This game meant a lot to both sides, United to stay in the play-off zone as they were equal on points with Crewe who were away at relegation haunted Macclesfield. For Gillingham a win was necessary to maintain a realistic hope of sneaking into the 7th spot held by United.

Unsurprisingly for United, Harry Worley made way for Michael Duberry returning from suspension, and equally logically Scott Rendell replaced James Constable in the starting line-up. The enigma that is Dean Morgan kept his place, on the left side of attack in a 4-4-3 formation.

And virtually every OUFC attack in that first half came from through balls behind Gills left back Andy Frampton, clearly deemed slow enough for Cristano Montano to beat for pace. The trouble was OUFC’s Achilles heel was also very much on show, inability to put the ball away.  There were no lack of chances at either end as Liam Davis’ fine flying block prevented Danny Kedwell taking the lead for the visitors, while Gills keeper Paulo Gazzaniga’s spectacular save kept out Asa Hall’s volley. The rebound fell kindly to Morgan, but Connor Essam’s block was the equal of Davis’ before.

There was a exchange of bookings for Oxford’s Jake Wright and Kedwell as things got a little feisty, but at half time the score reflected the fact that neither side could get the upper hand.

Nothing tactical changed form the start of the second half. Again Hall was unlucky not to be on the score sheet, as his goal bound volley was somehow headed off the line by Matt Fish. Pace was replaced by pace as Montano was switched for Oli Johnson, and one target man for another with Rendell being replaced by James Constable. It was Constable’s cross for Johnson that saw the latter’s shot again headed off the line by Essam.

The final chance saw Johnson go down in the box under a stiff challenge. Was it a penalty? I’ve seen plenty like that given, but for me he went down a little too theatrically, which may be why linesman Robert Ellis did not flag, and Johnson was booked for diving.

A game that United on another day would have one with Asa Hall getting a brace, but with Crewe only getting a point too, is as you were Cedric. Next Saturday its Oxford’s turn to visit a relegation threatened side, Plymouth Argyle.

Questions….and a few answers!

11 Wednesday Apr 2012

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Monday 9th April 2012 ko 3.00pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Chapman 59 Montano 68)

TORQUAY UNITED 2 (Howe 17 Atieno 90) Morris sent off 77 (2nd booking)

Att 7,867 (746 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc Oxford Mail)

A few days on I’m still not sure what to make of this one. A draw against a side probably destined to gain promotion as runners-up is not to be sniffed at, and one I’d have settled for before the game. We did, after all managed to lose to struggling Northampton!

The first half performance by Oxford was sufficiently bad for me to have again, settled for a point. After a bright start, Harry Worley’s weak backpass that Rene Howe took full advantage of, to open the scoring signalled a listless performance neatly summed up by Oxford’s talisman James Constable. As hard working as ever, but utterly lacking in inspiration he was replaced at half time by Scott Rendell.

That changed the performance completely, although it was a fluke that got Oxford on level terms, Adam Chapman scoring direct from a corner! Has a player missing for a year due to a prison sentence ever been so popular? His return has felt like a bargain free transfer since the swindon game. Many failed to notice that it was his erudite pass that found Damian Batt on the right. His wonderful cross was powerfully met by Montano who headed home. The negotiations with West Ham for his continued services will be more keen as a result.

Which leaves us the other loanee forward, Dean Morgan. Egomaniac or integral? Chris Wilder seems to think the latter, but there seems to be little evidence that he can produce the goals, that are missing through Tom Craddock’s injuries. On the present showing I’d be amazed if better alternatives aren’t available on the free transfer market.

For all of that OUFC went into injury time 2-1 up, was and were playing 10 men. Morris’ dismssal was an easy decision for the referee, but would he have still seen red, if he hadn’t already been booked? Did the referee take the easy option and save him a further 2 game ban? My feeling is that’s exactly what happened.

Would Torquay’s equaliser had gone in if Ryan Clarke hadn’t injured his side a few minutes earlier? It looked like an uncharacteristically poor piece of goalkeeping from Clarke, but is Wilder inclined to throw in Wayne Brown who’s sole appearance this season resulted in a red card in a Football League Trophy game.

So many questions, and at one point I looked behind me and saw 5 potential first teamers in Darrell’s PA box, so many players but so few it seems capable of getting Oxford United into League 1. Who’d be a manager!