The first half was a cagey, scrappy affair and both Cardiff’s opener and Oxford’s equaliser came courtesy of fortunate deflections. Cardiff’s goal was brought about through a combination of weak defending from new left-back Liam Davis (who I lambasted as a player when he was at Northampton) and the strength of Jon Parkin. The burly northerner barged his way past Davis into the United penalty box before rifling a shot across the box that Craig Conway managed to scoop into Oxford’s goal.
Twenty minutes later, Oxford repeated the trick. Out of favour Simon Clist slid the ball through to another new Summer signing, Jon-Paul Pittman who dribbled his shot straight at the keeper. Thankfully, the ball cannoned out straight to Clist who stroked the ball into the empty net, via a healthy deflection from a Cardiff defender.
After the break, Oxford took the game to their Championship opponents (who I must point out were missing eight players on international duty) and created a host of golden opportunities that ought to have sealed the tie. The first fell to Pitman. An enticing James Constable cross landed on his favoured left foot, only for the American to lose his footing and thus the chance. On first showing, Pitman reminds me of a poor Djibril Cisse – lighting quick, but incredibly raw and indecisive in front of goal. I hope he proves me wrong. Moments later, Beano was on the rampage again, tussling with the stocky Cardiff centre-back, Gabor Gyepes, before being clearly pulled down inside the penalty area. Penalty. Surely. To the disbelief of the Oxford fans though, ex-Premiership official Andy D’Urso waved play-on (quite how this frankly clueless referee ever made it onto the biggest stage is beyond me). Amid the melee, the home side continued to press their startled opponents and the industrious Asa Hall flashed a screaming right foot drive inches past the post.
Our golden-oldie and quickly established fans’ favourite, no-nonsense centre-half Michael Duberry even got in on the action, powering a firm header just over the bar after a sublime clipped ball from Peter Leven. Leven is clearly a very talented silky, skilful footballer whose invention in the midfield could prove enormously significant to the U’s chances of success this season. His through ball to fellow ex-Milton Keynes team-mate Lewis Guy in the last minute of normal time, who failed to lift his lob over the Cardiff keeper, was an early indication of the Scot’s ability.
That chance should have won Oxford the tie, but the away side could also have been ahead. With ten minutes left on the clock, a thumping Gyepes header was saved at point-blank range from Ryan Clarke, before falling kindly at the feet of Ibrahim Farah, who somehow missed the target.
After Guy failed to send Oxford into the 2nd round, the game moved into extra time. It was now Cardiff’s turn to take control of the match. Oxford appeared both exhausted and deflated at their inability to take their chances. Mid-way through the first half of extra time, the classy Peter Whittingham was given acres of room outside the box and fizzed a trademark left-foot shot past Ryan Clarke. You could sense among the players and in the crowd that this was game over.
Oxford tried to rally themselves and had one last opportunity to regain a foothold in the tie through the tireless Constable, yet it was just not to be. A calamitous mistake mix-up at the back between Jake Wright and Ryan Clarke, allowed Nathaniel Jarvis to pop home an undeserved third for the visitors. A sour ending to a thrilling first spectacle of the new season at the Kassam.
Oxford have plenty of positives to take from the game, yet similarly need to address a number of flaws ahead of Saturday’s match at home to Bradford, namely a lack of concentration in defence and indecision in the final third.
But it was wonderful to be back.
Man of the Match: Liam Davis (seems like my assessment of him at the Northampton game was overly harsh…)
