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Football: Wherever it may be

Tag Archives: Tony Capaldi

Last Chance To See

05 Sunday May 2013

Posted by laurencereade in O

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Alfie Potter, Andy Whing, Damian Batt, Deane Smalley, harry worley, Jon-Paul Pittman, Josh Parker#], Justin Richards, Liam Davis, Luke McCormick, michael duberry, Oxford City, oxford united., Oxon Senior Cup, Peter Leven, Scott Davies, Simon Heslop, Tom Craddock, Tony Capaldi

Wednesday 1st  May 2013 ko 19.45

Oxon Senior Cup Final

OXFORD UNITED 4 (Ashby 48 Marsh 65 Pittman 96 Roberts 120)

OXFORD CITY 2 (Cook 25p Barcelos 69)

Att 901

At Oxford United FC

Entry & Programme £8

I usually treat anything organised by the Oxfordshire FA with caution, they have a reputation for poor organisation, for example the Oxon Senior league doesn’t even have a website! That feeling wasn’t helped when I went through the turnstile end someone in front of me asked whether he could have another programme. “Of course,” was the reply, ” It saves me putting the useless things back in my car!” The programme was an improvement on the usual poor effort, but the committee saw no need to publish a history of the competition, instead they plumped for 3 adverts of the Oxfordshire FA, 2 identical.

The reason for the somewhat inflated entry price was that for once the final was between the two clubs with the highest playing statuses in the county, namely League 2 and the Conference North. Perhaps it was the cost, or OUFC’s frustrating season, or Oxford City’s generally low following but only half of the South Stand Lower was opened, ample for the 901 present, but I did wonder if more imaginative pricing would have attracted more.

There are many depressing things in football, but one that doesn’t get much coverage is the one-sided rivalry. Oxford City don’t like Oxford United, even though this the only competition in which the teams ever meet. For United the rivalry has a strict hierarchy, its Swindon Town, followed by Swindon Reserves, then Swindon Youth and so on… City just don’t feature at all. There are several examples of this in football. Leyton Orient don’t like West Ham, but the Hammers hate Millwall, and I’m sure you can dream up a few more!

The added piquancy for home fans was the news that the retained list was due out at midday the next day. There are some advantages to writing this a few days after the event, and I think most present would have predicted that we were seeing the last appearances of Jon-Paul Pittman, Tony Capaldi, and Simon Heslop in an OUFC shirt. The real surprise was that non-playing substitute Deane Smalley got offered a new deal. Yes, he’s been unlucky with injuries, but his goals to appearances ratio is dreadful, and it looks unlikely to improve.

The lesson here wasn’t the established players on either side. I suspect that for Oxford City former United players Steve Basham, Chris Wilmott and Jamie Cook will also have made their last appearances at Grenoble Road, but City manager Mike Ford hit the nail on the head when he commented that United won the tie with clinical finishing. That’s not a comment often associated with United this season, and 3 goals came from either youth or former youth players. Josh Ashby fired home from just outside the box for United’s first, Tyrone Marsh’s shot from the right flank oozed the confidence gained from a successful loan spell at Staines, and those in the know have had teenage striker James Roberts in their sights for a while. He scores goals for fun at youth team level, the question now is how best to progress him?

Extra time was the last thing either time wanted, not least afterwards as Oxon FA organisation meant that the usual rambling over-long speech was attempted without the usual radio-mic. The official was quickly shouted down, the cup presented, and everyone could go home! I noted that neither Capaldi nor Heslop could be bothered to ever come out and attend the presentation. That spoke volumes for them, and what they expected to happen the next day.

But let’s have a closer look at that retained and released list. Andy Whing’s retention must be the most popular bit of news coming from OUFC for a while, and Alfie Potter’s year-long extension was entirely logical. Equally logical was the departures of Tony Capaldi, Tom Craddock, Simon Heslop, Peter Leven, Luke McCormick, Josh Parker, Jon-Paul Pittman, Justin Richards, and Harry Worley. Not one has set the world alight and in some cases the attitudes have been lacking even the bodies have been fit. I understand that McCormick is negotiating to return to Plymouth, who will have to weigh up his talent against a toxic past. In a similar vein, I understand Craddock is eyeing up a return to his native North-East in the form of Hartlepool. There the club will no doubt be weighing up talent against mind-set.

The attitude has been always there for Michael Duberry who defied a potentially career-ending neck injury to keep playing. I for one will miss his “Positive Vibes” but time waits for no man, and sadly that includes him.

The two controversial departures where undoubtedly Peter Leven and Damien Batt. When fit, Leven is easily the best midfielder in the squad, if not the division, but that caveat is a huge one. I’ve heard too many interviews referring to Leven’s injuries as having to be managed, and with a smaller wage bill the club cannot afford a passenger, however talented.

Batt can count himself to be extremely unlucky. For most he’s OUFC’s first choice at right back, and whilst he’s far better going forward than in defence, he had a good season. I can only assume Chris Wilder has a better replacement lined up. I for one will be sorry to see another of the Wembley Conference Play-off final heroes depart along with Adam Chapman, who I assume will join Mansfield.

If Damien Batt is unlucky and Deane Smalley extremely fortunate, then left back Luke O’Brien is the proof that being a good professional pays dividends. A solid full back, and no more, he may not end up even being first choice come the start of the season but will let no-one down when called upon.

Scott Davies is probably seen as Leven’s replacement. He came in as a free agent, with no security and impressed greatly. He’s local too (Aylesbury), which saves on the costs of relocation. Another good professional too, this game saw him fill in, completely out of position at left back. I think he’ll form a good partnership with the more combative Whing.

Of course the retained list isn’t even half the story.  There’s the small matter of who’s coming in, and how many of the youth team will step up to the first XI. Watch this space.

Take them off me….please!
OFA tie brigade
Marsh attacks

City’s penalty
Tony Capaldi, he didn’t stick around afterwards
Dubes

Roberts scores the winner
Winning squad minus a couple
Winners

The Specialist

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by laurencereade in O

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Barry Corr, central midfielder, Daniel Bentley, Football League Trophy, JPT, Luke O'Brien, michael duberry, oxford mail, oxford united., Paul Smith, ryan clarke, Sean Clohessy, sean rigg, Southend United, Tom Craddock, Tony Capaldi, tyrone marsh

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 →

Predictably Unpredictable

11 Sunday Nov 2012

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Billy Bodin, James Constable, Johnny Mullins, Jon-Paul Pittman, League 2, oxford united., Ryan Jarvis, sean rigg, Tom Craddock, Tony Capaldi, Torquay United

Saturday 10th November 2012 ko 15.00

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 0

TORQUAY UNITED 0

Att 5,773 (259 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc Oxford Mail) £3

Now, I’m not a gambling man, the whole bookie experience leaves me cold, but consider if you will the two team’s build-ups to this game. Torquay lost to non-league Harrogate Town in the FA Cup, while Oxford beat Barnet convincingly. During last week Oxford lost at home to Dagenham & Redbridge, while Torquay lost away at…. Barnet. Up on the top deck, before kick-off we considered the likely outcome on a cold afternoon. A few scratched heads, then a grin, and the comment, “Nil-nil it’ll be then!”

Three changes for United, all logical with Alfie Potter still out with a sore hamstring. Johnny Mullins replaced Michael Raynes in central defence, Liam Davis replaced Tony Capaldi at left back, and Simon Heslop was considered a “least worst” option in right midfield than Adam Chapman. The lack of an out-and-out right-winger was an obvious deficiency on Tuesday and while Heslop was a better bet than Chapman, the position continued to look like a square peg in a round hole. For Torquay the principle concern was in goal, regular keeper Michael Poke having a groin strain meant subsitute keeper Martin Rice playing his first game of 2012. That produced an unusual kit-clash, his day glo-orange shirt and shorts being the same colour as that worn by the stadium’s stewards!

The first half was a non-event, Oxford trying their best, but with a lack of conviction where it mattered, in the finishing off of chances. Torquay were more than happy to defend and live off scraps, Billy Bodin’s 20 yard effort being the most memorable, but that should be set against 2 James Constable efforts, one blasted over, the other well saved, and Sean Rigg’s header straight at the keeper.

Things looked worse after the break with Tom Craddock’s sore ribs precluding further participation. The loss of United’s form striker wasn’t keenly felt, as his replacement Jon-Paul Pittman had a fine 45 minutes, stretching the Gulls defence with runs pulling the centre halves out of the channels. United looked far more incisive, but again the final shot wasn’t quite there. Constable fired over, and Rigg had two shots saved, but there was a fright after 50 minutes when Ryan Jarvis headed home for Torquay but the effort was ruled offside.

But the United chances kept coming and kept being missed. Constable did the difficult thing, turning his marker beautifully, but failed with the simpler task, firing over from 10 yards out. There was and is an anxiety about the forward line, the chances get created, but things conspire to see them missed.

Squirrelled away in the warm at the back of the stand was a chap in a club’s coat. My sister didn’t recognise the badge when we spotted him cuddling his tea at half time. I did, the badge was Chesterfield’s and with Oxford playing there next Saturday I doubt if the report he sends back to Derbyshire will contain much that will worry the Spireites. But then what, if anything can you correctly predict at the moment where Oxford United is concerned?

Lest we forget


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