January 1, 2011: Oxford United 0-2 Southend United. Unfortunately I could not be at the game as I was still feeling the effects of the previous night in Edinburgh. In a way, I was glad as my friend who had not ventured up to Scotland informed me that Oxford's showing on New Year's Day was 'the worst I have seen them play in my lifetime.' Astonishing how a virtually unchanged line-up could collapse so dramatically after a comfortable victory only 4 days earlier. I doubt Southend could have been that good; not only are they below us in the League, they are also managed by Paul Sturrock. The result did bring one piece of good news, however. Following a shambolic showing, the hapless Ben Futcher was rightly sent back to his parent club, Bury. In his place have returned the popular trio of Mark Creighton, Sam Deering and Jack Midson.
January 3, 2011: Torquay United 3-4 Oxford United. I doubt many Oxford fans who travelled down to Torquay only two days later felt particularly optimistic about how the afternoon would pan out. Then again, football is funny old game. Chris Wilder fielded a much-changed starting line-up with only Ryan Clarke, Jake Wright and Simon Clist keeping their places. In an enthralling spectacle Oxford United ran out winners 4-3 in front of 470 ecstatic away fans who scarcely believed that a Bank Holiday Monday could be quite so exciting in Torquay. Oxford twice led by a two goal cushion through a brilliant strike by Tom Craddock and two clinically taken goals by recalled fan favourite Jack Midson only to allow Torquay back into the game by way of sloppy defending. Perhaps Futcher was not so bad after all. Don't worry, I am joking. He was terrible.
After Torquay substitute Billy Kee's deflected shot looped into the goal to make it level you sensed that the home side would deliver the sucker punch to send the Oxford faithful home thoroughly depressed. Instead, as Torquay pushed desperately for the winner, Oxford hit them on the counter-attack and when Alfie Potter found Midson in space on the edge of the box, he expertly guided the ball home to send the travelling contigent into delirium. Quite simply, magnificent.
Who knows what Oxford United will turn up at the Recreation Ground, home of Aldershot, tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment