Tag Archives: League 2

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!

 

On a Whing and a Prayer

20 Tuesday Mar 2012

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Tuesday 20th March 2012 ko 7.45pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 1 (Morgan 57)

AFC WIMBLEDON 0

Att 6,366 (362 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc Oxford Mail)

So, those of you who weren’t there will look at the score, and think, play-off side struggles to beat lower-table side, in a dour encounter. And you’d be right, except for the last 4 words. For at no point did this game look like ending nil-nil, as both sides played good passing football, but with a frustrating lack of end product.

As a little aside, the first time I watched AFC Wimbledon at Kingsmeadow they were playing AFC Wallingford in a Combined Counties League game. How times change, as Wimbledon have been promoted 6 times to reclaim the league place that had been stolen from them. Poor old Wallingford now languish at the bottom of the North Berkshire League’s top flight. By my reckoning, there’s now 7 promotions between the two clubs. And to square the circle, North Berkshire League Press Officer Phil Annets was watching the game from one of the executive boxes!

Oxford looked capable of tearing their visitors apart, but at times looked lopsided, with Dean Morgan looking lost for much of the first half. Not withstanding that, its was refreshing to see both sides play an attractive passing game, with Oxford’s Adam Chapman, and Andy Whing both going close with a free kick and close-range header respectively. For Wimbledon George Moncur’s shot was well smothered by Ryan Clarke.

Its was a little suprising that United made no change at half time, as they had looked a tweak away from looking really convincing. As usual Chris Wilder showed why he’s the manager and I’m sat typing this, as a glorious passing move led to the goal. After a series of passes, Scott Rendell moved the ball wide, and Asa Hall’s flicked back-heel found Morgan on the left. His shot seemed to come from nothing, and was from an acute angle, but it flashed past Seb Brown, and into the top right corner.

After that United looked happy to attack sporadically, and defend in numbers. Oli Johnson headed on to the bar following a quite wonderful Peter Leven free kick, and the visitors were limited to just two chances. Sammy Moore’s 25 yard shot found the car park when it should have found the goal, and the only real scare came at the end of injury time. Leven was adjudged to have fouled on the edge of the box, a decision that angered Chris Wilder sufficiently for him to be dismissed from the technical area. The shot was driven in, Clarke parried, and Andy Whing blocked twice to keep Wimbledon out.

And it was the popular full back/midfielder/centre half that summed the last few minutes to me. Not pretty, but wholly committed and always gets the job done. Cheltenham away, I suspect will be a different challenge all together.

Silk and Steal

25 Saturday Feb 2012

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Saturday 25th February 2012 ko 3.00

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 1 (Johnson 42)

MACCLESFIELD TOWN 1 (Duberry 9og)

Att 6,189 (63 away)

Entry S/T

Programme (inc Oxford Mail) £3

Today’s match at Grenoble Road was designated “Military Day” and the club made great efforts to pay tribute to the many forms of the armed forces that are based within the county. There was a touching moment when after a few minutes play, the personnel walked aroud the pitch from the main stand, behind the goal and round to the North Stand. The entire ground stood and applauded. A spine-tingling moment.

The game saw the visitors arrive with a loanee keeper they’d picked up en route, and having lost 8 games on the bounce. An easy win you’d think, but this is Oxford United.

United started brightly enough, but found themselves a goal down after 9 minutes. Referee Darren Drysdale made the first in a series of poor decisions in awarding a free kick 30 yards out. Matt Hamshaw’s free kick found Michael Duberry 6 yards out under no pressure, but he somehow managed to power his header past Ryan Clarke for his 3rd own goal of the season. Does this mean he’s now on -1 goals for the campaign?

United continued with the 4-4-2 formation that had brought a won against Barnet, and it was the right flank that provided the equaliser, Oli Johnson turning neatly, and not being challenged, fired home from 18 yards. He’s beginning to look an excellent acquisition.

The second half should have seen United force home the gulf in quality. James Constable missed a good chance when Lee Holmes played him in, but Richard O’Donnell saved his shot, and in the melee Johnson and Scott Rendell had follow-up efforts blocked. Constable’s second opportunity came from a Holmes cross, but he headed high and wide from eight yards out.

After that United grew frustrated and place broke down repeatedly, as play grew narrower with neither full-backs Davis or Batt able or willing to overlap and Leven’s gorgeous passes taking place where he could do no damage, in his own half. Time after time United forced corners, but lacked the guile to do anything with them. Liam Davis’ 25 yard shot was well saved by O’Donnell, and that was United’s last meaningful chance.

The final whistle was met by a chorus of boos, not for current form, only 1 defeat in 12, but for a sense of what could happen when a team bang in form visit next Saturday. That, though is a local derby, and the form book can be ignored.

Bring Me Sunshine

11 Sunday Dec 2011

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Saturday 10th December 2011 ko 3.00pm

League 2

MORECAMBE 0

OXFORD UNITED 0

Att 1,914

Entry (centre of main stand) £21

Programme £3

Badge £3

Tea £1.50

Pie, Peas, and Gravy £3

This was one of the now rare occasions when I could be both an Oxford United fan and a groundhopper!

Morecambe on the North Lancashire coast actually takes its name from the 190 mile bay on which it lies, its former name being Poulton-le-Sands. That name is a good reference to the sandflats, where cockle-picking remains a business. Its there that at least 21 Chinese cocklepickers drowned in February 2004, trapped by the fast tide.

On a happier note, in 2010 Morecambe was noted as having the most dog lovers in the UK, but no mention of the town is complete without reference to its most famous son, comedian Eric Morecambe, whose statue is a landmark on the seafront. Continue reading →