Tag Archives: ryan clarke

One To Do

29 Wednesday Aug 2018

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Saturday 14th July 2018 ko 15.00

Pre-Season Friendly

BATH CITY 2 (Rigg 45 89)

BRISTOL CITY U23 1 (T Richards 68) M Richards missed penalty 85

Att 187

Entry £8

Programme 50p

Between booking a wedding venue and meeting friends for a meal what should an engaged couple do? The answer in Robyn and I’s case was to visit one of the great British football grounds.  Continue reading →

The Max Factor

01 Friday Feb 2013

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Tuesday 29th January 2013 ko 19.45

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 1 (Constable 50)

BURTON ALBION 1 (Maghoma 71)

Att 4,906 (65 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (including Oxford Mail)

On Tuesday morning this fixture looked like a routine, if rather dull fourth division division encounter, and I found it rather difficult to raise any enthusiasm for it. The advantage of writing this on Friday is that this fixture can be put into full perspective with what followed.

My mood changed on the way to Grenoble Road, when the news broke that Max Crocombe was to get his first start in goal for Oxford. New Zealander Max is a first year professional, but with Ryan Clarke, and Wayne Brown above him in the pecking order in was hard to see how he was going to get a game, a problem exacerbated by there being no reserve team this season. Back in November I’d taken my friend Kellie to watch United’s FA Cup at Barnet, and after the game we’d lingered to take a few pictures of Underhill. Kellie had a chat with Max, not really knowing who he was, and we were both struck by what a thoroughly decent young man he is. But with Clarke out for the season, and Brown in poor form, the young lad got his chance.

He let no-one down either, nice lad or not. He even coped with the early loss of Michael Duberry to a hamstring strain early on, and I think all present bar the pitiful away following would have been pleased to see a home win courtesy of James Constable’s header at a corner, and Max collect a clean sheet. It wasn’t to be as Jacques Maghoma lost his marker, Michael Raynes, and fired home past Crocombe who was in no sense at fault. Even so there was a feel-good feeling around the ground at the final whistle, but that was shattered over the course of the next few days.

The first piece of bad news was shirt sponsor Bridle Insurance announcing that they will not renew the arrangement when it expires in the summer. Hardly a surprise when the firm now owns Eastleigh FC, but its a income stream that will need replacing. Another worry was that the club lost £450,000 during the last trading year, one would assume due to falling attendances. Clearly players wages and a high stadium rent are contributing factors, and ones that little can be done about, at least in the short term. The club is tied to its lease with Mr Kassam, and with him unwilling to sell, that’s a fixed cost that won’t go away. As for players’ wages, thats’s up to owner/chairman Ian Lenagan to set a sustainable budget and recruit and retain a manager that can work within it. Its questionable at best whether any of this is happening now, and certainly losses of this magnitude are not sustainable.

All this rather paled into insignificance with the signing of Luke McCormick last night on a contract for the rest of the season. I’ll leave the debate as to whether another keeper is necessary to another time, save to point out that Crocombe is set to represent his country at the under-20 World Cup in March. McCormick is a former Plymouth Argyle keeper, and his credentials are beyond reproach, but for one terrible detail.

In 2008 he was convicted of causing the death of children aged 8 and 10 by crashing his car into a vehicle driven by their father on the M6, whilst over twice the drink-drive limit. The father is still suffering from the injuries he received in the crash, and McCormick served 3 years and 7 months of a 7 years, 4 months prison sentence, being released in June 2012. So will no doubt say that McCormick has served his debt to society, and everyone deserves their their chance of redemption.

Oxford United have a precedent with midlfielder Adam Chapman who served just over a year of a 30 month sentence for causing death by dangerous driving, he was sending texts on his Blackberry. Chapman was successfully re-integrated into the team on his release, which is in marked contrast with McCormick who will be entering a new club with new players. Chapman was notable for showing remorse, and contact was made with the family of the gentleman he killed, so as not to cause any offence from his public job. None of this has taken place with McCormick, and you wonder why Oxford United would feel the need to taken on a player with so much baggage. Is it really simply a case of acquiring a good player at a knock-down wage?

On another level, the club likes to stress how it is a “Family Club,” and won the “League 2 Family Award” last season to prove the point. How does the signing of McCormick sit with that? Would his presence be a barrier to a company thinking of becoming shirt sponsor? He hardly fits the image a prospective sponsor would look for.

The shame of all of this is that Luke McCormick may well be a fine goalkeeper, although 10 games for Truro City in the Conference South since his release is hardly a ringing endorsement. I can imagine his presence being a massive distraction with everyone concerning themselves with him and not matters in hand. I can only conclude that he’s the wrong player in the wrong club, at the wrong time. The question now is whether his performances will make up for the inevitable circus that will surround him. I wonder also how Max Crocombe will deal with all of this, as unlike McCormick, he’s done nothing wrong.

The Specialist

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

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Tuesday 8th January 2013 ko 19.45

Football League Trophy Southern Area Semi-Final

OXFORD UNITED 3 (Marsh 15 Craddock 31 Rigg 89)

SOUTHEND UNITED 3 (Corr 6 59 Clohessy 55)

No Extra Time Southend won 5-3 on penalties

Att 2,882 (356 away)

Entry £10

Programme £2 (reduced size) including Oxford Mail

I wonder where in this competition the Wembley Care Point exists. Many clubs enter this competition saying “There’s a Wembley Final at the end of this,” but don’t really mean it, and a near-reserve team plays in front of a couple of thousand spectators paying reduced price tickets. Yesterday’s game proves the point, about half the normal attendance, even when offered cheap tickets. So Southend find themselves just a double-legged semi-final away from Wembley, but despite Oxford playing Continue reading →

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.

 

 

The Break Point

08 Monday Oct 2012

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Tuesday 2nd October 2012 ko 19.45

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 3 (Forster-Caskey 8 Smalley 55 Potter 81)

AFC WIMBLEDON 2 (Harrison 20 Fenlon 36)

Att 5,206 (274 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc Oxford Mail)

Of all the statistics above, I suspect the important one may well end up being the attendance. Ok this was dull Tuesday evening, between 2 struggling teams, but 5,200 is low by OUFC standards. Its not difficult to understand why, Oxford United having lost 6 league games on the bounce, and with a quite appalling injury list. Nevertheless manager Chris Wilder found himself under more pressure than any other time during his tenure at the club and for the first time, it told.

You can always tell when the manager’s time is running out, the fight goes out of them. Remember Steve McClaren’s game in charge of England, standing forlornly under an umbrella, impotant as Croatia stopped England qualifying for the 2008 European Championships? When Wimbledon went 2-1 after 36 minutes, I watched Wilder, the head dropped, and I feared the worst for him. The comparison was obvious, and I felt sorry for the man who managed the club back into the Football League where others had failed.

They’d made a good start too, with Jake Forster-Caskey’s excellent free kick opening the scoring, but Wayne Brown, controversially selected in goal ahead of Ryan Clarke should have done better as Yado Mambo rose highest at a corner and although his header hit the crossbar, Byron Harrison was first to the rebound and scored from close range.

With less than 10 minutes left of the half, Jim Fenlon cut inside Alfie Potter, and fired home from 25 yards. He was in yards on space which speaks volumes for the defence and goalkeeper. All the while quietly sat in the press area was Steve Claridge. Wearing no club’s badge, there he sat with his assistant. Maybe he was scouting, maybe he was there for other purposes, who knows?

Whatever the truth, United found their way back into the tie. Deane Smalley stabbed home from close range to equalise before losing Wayne Brown to a groin strain a few minutes later. That gave a platform to Ryan Clarke, who didn’t disappoint, producing a quite wonderful diving dave to deny Will Antwi. By then United had taken the lead, as Tom Craddock’s erudite pass found Alfie Potter and he swept home from 10 yards. It proved to be enough for 3 points on the night, but it may well prove to be a pivotal night for Chris Wilder and his regime.

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.

 

Barnet Fare

23 Thursday Feb 2012

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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.

The Perfect Hat-Trick

22 Sunday Jan 2012

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Saturday 21st January 2012 ko 3.00pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Pittman 12 Duberry 68)

HEREFORD UNITED 2 (Duberry 32og 85og)

Att 6,630 (397 away)

 

Entry S/T

Programme (inc Oxford Mail) £3

On arrival at the ground the talk was of one thing and one thing only. Talismanic striker James Constable had been the subject of repeated bids from arch-rivals Swindon Town during the week. A fee had been agreed between the two clubs but then Constable refused to speak to Swindon. In the eyes of Oxford United fans players can do pretty much whatever they like, but the hard and fast rule is simple. You don’t play for Swindon. The local paper ran the headline “Beanomania” and Constable was set to be the talking point of the day. But as usual it didn’t work out that way.

It didn’t take a genius that Hereford would come for a point. Struggling to avoid relegation, it was obvious that they’d metaphorically park the bus in front of the goal.  So, when Pittman’s 25 yard strike opened the scoring, you thought that Hereford would be forced out and more goals would come. Constable was straining every sinew to cap an amazing week with a goal, but a mixture of brilliant goalkeeping from Adam Bartlett and a little profligacy kept the score at 1-0. As time drifted on the more nervous the supporters got, and this seemed to infect the team. Things got worse on 32 minutes when a fizzing cross from Joe Colbeck on the right struck Michael Duberry on the left foot and the ball trickled in past a horrified Ryan Clarke.

Debutant forward Oli Johnson was introduced as Oxford went on the attack to find the elusive winner. In a game where they had the vast majority of the possession, on 85 minutes they found themselves chasing an equaliser. Again it was a Colbeck cross, and again it found Duberry. Under pressure at the back post the ball glanced off his head and in.

It’s the mark of a professional and the mark of the man, that for the remainder of the game Duberry was a man on a mission and he didn’t have long to wait for redemption. Substitute Tom Craddock crossed from the right, and supplementary striker Duberry was there to stroke home with his right foot, completing the most unusual hat-trick you’ll ever see. He later pointed out it was the perfect three-timer too. Left foot, right foot and header, just not quite how he’d have wanted to achieve the feat!

There was still time for Constable for stretch to head one last chance, but it was not to be his day, as the ball spun wide. It was almost as he wanted it too much. That I feel could be summary for the whole match, not just the big-hearted striker.