Barnet Fare

23 Thursday Feb 2012

Tags

Barnet, chris wilder, Dean Brill, Football, groundhopping, Izale McLeod, James Constable, Kassam Stadium, lee holmes, Michael Hector, ryan clarke, Stuart Attwell

Tuesday 21st February 2012 ko 7.45pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Rendell 43 Constable 56)

BARNET 1 (Hector 16) McLeod missed pen 84

Att 5,848 (139 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc Ox Mail)

If, dear reader you read my last OUFC report, you might be forgiven for thinking this report could have been difficult to write. Same score against a similar club, down at the bottom the league. Nope, dead easy this one, as it was a totally different game.

Maybe it was due to Chris Wilder changing OUFC’s formation, from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 with Oli Johnson playing right wing. On the other flank Lee Holmes made his full debut. There were 2 other little subplots with the referee being Stuart Attwell, in charge of his first game since being demoted from the elite Select Group Referees Panel. Also the game saw the return of former OUFC winger Sam Deering. Attwell had an excellent game, and Deering was roundly booed each and every time he touched the ball.

In an open game United were unfortunate to go a goal down. A free kick on the right was surprisingly reverse passed to right-back Michael Hector. Although he was given way too much time, the Reading loanee’s 18 yard shot went though a mass of legs and passed an unsighted Ryan Clarke into the bottom left corner.

Johnson’s weak shot was easily saved by Bees keeper Dean Brill, but the hosts were showing real industry (Andy Whing) and invention (Peter Leven) in midfield with Holmes the most usual outlet. James Constable’s stinging shot was blocked away by Brill, and Leven’s free kick hit the right net support post.

United equalised with a goal of real quality. Leven’s diagonal ball found Holmes on the left, and his curling cross was asking for someone to attack it. That someone was Scott Rendell, and his header was his first goal for the club.

Leven’s free kick after 50 minutes again found Rendell’s head but this time Brill did extremely well to turn the ball round his right post. 6 minutes later United took the lead, when Leven’s teasing free kick was mis-hit by Rendell and with the Bees’ defence totally square there was Constbale at the back post to tap in.

Whilst United had far more possession and chances, at 2-1 there was always a way back into the game for Barnet and they had two opportunities to gain something from the game. Once Andy Whing limped off United looked far less assured in midfield. Deering will have sleepless nights over his 6 yard miss, but on 84 minutes Barnet still had the opportunity to steal an undeserved point. Mark Byrne was ajudged to have been trippped by Damian Batt. Attwell thought it was in the box, and to be fair to him I watched the footage several times before deciding it was just outside.

Of course United have a lucky charm when it comes to penalties, and his name is Ryan Clarke. Izale McLeod’s penalty was poor, weak and down the middle, but the save had to be made and made it was, to make Clarke’s OUFC record 14 penalties faced and 11 saved. A statistic any keeper would be proud of.

Long Time Love Affair

15 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by laurencereade in O

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Dagenham and Redbridge, Football, groundhopping, James Constable, League, lee holmes, Mark Arber, Mehdi Kerrouche, Oli Johnson, oxford united.

Tuesday 14th February 2012 ko 7.45pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Johnson 51 Constable 80)

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 1 (Arber 72)

Att 5,653 (119 away)

Entry S/T

Programme (inc Oxford Mail) £3

It seemed like a long time since I watched an Oxford United game, and for a change it was not due to me gallivanting around! With the Barnet game postponed a week last Saturday with me conveniently in the Netherlands, and last Saturday’s game at Accrington frozen off, OUFC’s last home game was on 21st January, and the last game of any description just 8 days later.

Regular fans know OUFC find it difficult to break down the teams at the bottom of the League, and with Dagenham 3rd from bottom and with wily old fox John Still in charge it was always going to be a game that would be one for the result, rather than one to enjoy as a spectacle. The visitors simply placed 2 banks of 4 in front of the goal and aimed to soak up the pressure.

The first half demonstrated the point. For the U’s Asa Hall had one shot, Billy Bingham had another for D&G, and one corner was won, for the visitors. Yes, United were forced, due to a mixture of injury and suspension to field a side with 2 debutants, Scott Rendell, and Mark Wilson, but the team was carrying too many passengers.

The second half saw a switch from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2, with another debutant, Lee Holmes replacing Hall. The performance improved, but not by much, but at least the U’s were exploiting the flanks through Holmes on the right, and Liam Davis on the left. It was through the latter that Oxford took the lead. Davis took the ball on the left flank, and his curling cross was met by Oli Johnson’s late run. His header beat D&G keeper Chris Lewington at his right post.

That meant the visitors had to come out and attack, but even then they lacked any real cutting edge, although both Andy Whing and Jake Wright provided important blocks. The equaliser, when it came was a defensive error as a cross from the right was allowed to travel to the back of the box and there was captain Mark Arber to head home, across U’s keeper Ryan Clarke.

For D&G substitute Adam Cunnington’s shot grazed the post, but United won the game with a move started by yet another debutant, Mehdi Kerrouche. His erudite pass found Johnson. His turn and pass found James Constable, who slammed the ball into the bottom right corner with positive glee.

Romantic? No chance. Entertaining? Barely. Important? Definately.