TLG Stat-Pack – Oxford United form

Saturday 30th October 2004 – Coca-Cola League Two

Oxford United 1 Cheltenham Town 0

Matt Robinson was employed as left wing-back

Goal: Mooney 45

Booked: none

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 5163

Match Report (from www.oxfordutd-mad.co.uk):

Tommy Mooney grabbed his first goal in eight games to give Oxford boss Graham Rix a massive boost.

The U's had lost six in a row and Graham Rix's job was on the line, but Oxford chairman Firoz Kassam came down to the touchline at the final whistle to shake his hand and show he still had his backing.

Tommy Mooney powered home a right-wing cross from David Mackay just before half-time to bring Oxford their first victory since September 25.

And Oxford had done it with a completely new system as Rix changed from a 3-5-2 with a new signing Sam Togwell coming in as one of three centre halves.

Oxford played the ball around crisply, showing few signs of any lack of confidence despite their poor form.

Lee Bradbury went close when he cut inside and hit a fierce shot which was well saved at his near post by Shane Higgs.

And in the second half, Lee Bradbury missed a golden chance to put the game out of Cheltenham's reach.

He was put clear by Tommy Mooney's header but got his feet in a mess and tripped over the ball.

John Melligan drove into the side netting as the Robins pressed hard for an equaliser.

Nervous Oxford keeper Simon Cox came to his sides rescue in the closing stages.

First he saved a cross shot from sub Damian Spencer, and in the final minute he scrambled across goal to save a goalbound header from Jamie Victory.

It was Cheltenham's first defeat in seven matches and they have failed to score a goal now in three visits to the Kassam Stadium.

Boss John Ward tried everything, bringing on all three subs in the second half, but Oxford's defence kept them out.

When the impressive Grant McCann spread play to his right, Steve Guinan had a great chance to level at the end, but his low shot went right to Cox.

Saturday 23rd October 2004 – Coca-Cola League Two

Macclesfield Town 1 Oxford United 0

Ex-Shrimper Mark Rawle has been used mainly as a substitute

Goals: none

Booked: none

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 2007

Match Report (by www.oxfordutd-mad.co.uk):

Veteran striker Mike Sheron rolled back the years with a stunning strike to push Macclesfield to fifth spot in the Coca Cola League Two.

It was his first goal since his close season move from Blackpool and it proved that quality counts. Teed up by strike partner Jonathan Parkin in the 49th minute the ball was still rising as it crashed into the roof of the net.

Moments earlier Macclesfield had been indebted to keeper Alan Fettis who twice denied Tommy Mooney. At first he flung himself full length to tip a long-range header wide before standing tall to block the striker's shot with his legs after the offside trap had been sprung.

Oxford also started the first half more positively, skipper Lee Bradbury heading agonisingly wide before stinging the hands of Fettis with a bullet 25-yard shot. Macclesfield then took control of the first half, Matthew Tipton poking just past the upright before Sheron and then Tommy Widdrington tested teenage keeper Simon Cox with long-range shots.

Oxford did get the ball in the back of the net on 38 minutes when Steve Basham converted a Bradbury chip but it was ruled offside. After Sheron's strike Macclesfield went close through a Simon Weaver header and a Matthew Tipton lob.

Oxford nearly equalised in the dying stages, a Tommy Mooney shot was blocked on the six-yard line before Jamie Hand arrowed a long-range drive inches wide.

Tuesday 19th October 2004 - Coca-Cola League Two

Northampton Town 1 Oxford United 0

Attacking midfielder Rob Wolleaston

Goals: none

Booked: Hackett 38, Quinn 62, Hand 71

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 5455

Match Report (from www.oxfordutd-mad.co.uk):

Scott McGleish ensured that Northampton’s 10th anniversary party at Sixfields went with a swing.

The game looked destined for a goalless conclusion when Joshua Low finally jinked his way to the byeline seven minutes from time and delivered a precision cross which was met by McGleish's head for the striker's fifth goal of the season.

Only moments earlier McGleish had seen a header come back off the crossbar after a Low corner was flicked on at the near post.

And in injury time Eric Sabin could have wrapped things up when he broke clear of the visitor's defence, only to see his shot turned away by substitute goalkeeper Simon Cox.

The victory gave the Cobblers back-to-back 'University' 1-0 wins after their success at Cambridge last Friday, but worryingly for United boss Graham Rix, this was Oxford's fourth straight defeat in Coca-Cola League Two.

Oxford's best chances came from lively midfielder Rob Wolleaston who fired wide early on and twice tested Paul Rachubka in the home goal.

And Barry Quinn was agonisingly close in the 57th minute with a curling free-kick which just cleared Rachubka's right-hand post.

Northampton's recent pattern of domination without creating clear-cut chances looked set to continue as they failed to test Chris Tardif in the first half, with the Oxford goalkeeper mysteriously replaced by Cox in the 57th minute.

Martin Smith could have opened things up early on for the Cobblers but his teasing free-kick fell just beyond Pedj Bojic at the far post.

The lively McGleish was always a threat to the visitors and he directed a 15th minute header just fractionally wide from a Tommy Jaszczun cross.

Smith was guilty of the first-half's most glaring miss in the 31st minute. He had space and time to do better with a centre from David Rowson but headed well wide of the target.

Saturday 16th October 2004 – Coca-Cola League Two

Oxford United 0 Lincoln City 1

Chunky midfielder Paul Wanless

Goals: none

Booked: Roget 87

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 4089

Match Report (from www.oxfordutd-mad.co.uk):

Lincoln City made it seven games without defeat following a much more comprehensive victory than the 1-0 scoreline away at Oxford United suggests.

They had four goals disallowed in the first half and only some great saves by Oxford keeper Chris Tardif prevented them from winning by a much bigger margin.

Francis Green struck the winner just before half-time when he ran through the centre of Oxford's defence unchallenged and fired home a right-footed shot.

Simon Yeo will be wondering how he failed to score when he had two goals ruled out for offside in the first 15 minutes and had another shot well saved by Tardif's foot.

Oxford boss Graham Rix had given his team's fans what they wanted by playing Steve Basham alongside Tommy Mooney in attack, but they failed to find the net.

Lincoln had the third goal disallowed for a foul by Ben Futcher and Yeo fired over the bar with the home defence all at sea.

Oxford improved in the second half and centre back Leo Roget almost equalised with a downward header from Chris Hackett's free-kick which goalkeeper Alan Marriott turned round the post for a corner.

But Lincoln had plenty of chances to extend their lead and full-back Kevin Sandwith struck the bar from a fully 30 yards.

Tardif made a sensational double stop from Yeo when the striker was just three yards out and, when Martin Carruthers put the ball in the net only to see the referee disallow it for the fourth time following a foul by Futcher, Oxford were thinking it was their lucky day.

Rix sent on Mark Rawle in the second half and, although he added some urgency, they still looked disorganised and shapeless.

Tardif made another fine save from Green after he was put in by Yeo, but he could not prevent Oxford from slipping to a third successive home defeat and a fourth defeat in a row.

Sunday 10th October 2004 – Coca-Cola League Two

Oxford United 1 Darlington 2

Captain, and former Blues defender, Leo Roget

Goal: Woozley 45

Booked: Hand 66

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 5881

Match Report (from www.oxfordutd-mad.co.uk):

Substitute Ian Clark earned Darlington their second away win of the season and lifted them to eighth in the table.

He sealed a fine second-half fightback after David Hodgson's team trailed at the interval.

The Quakers got back into the game through a classy finish from Dutchman Clyde Wijnhard and, in an open encounter, both teams missed excellent chances.

David Woozley put Oxford in front on the stroke of half time when he powered in a header at a corner from Chris Hackett for his first goal since joining the club from Torquay.

But the Oxford centre-back made a costly error to present Wijnhard with his equaliser six minutes after the break, being easily brushed off the ball before Wijnhard lashed the ball into the net with a superb finish from 22 yards.

Lee Bradbury squandered a golden opportunity when he was put clean through, his low shot saved by goalkeeper Sam Russell's foot.

Wijnhard almost snatched victory for Darlington when he beat keeper Chris Tardif with an angled drive that came back off the post.

But it mattered not as three minutes later a superb pass from American midfielder Adolfo Gregorio released Clark and he slotted the ball low past the keeper.

Darlington are in the middle of their best defensive start to a season since 1968, but Oxford had only themselves to blame for not finding the net again.

Tommy Mooney deflected a goalbound Woozley header over the bar and the former Swindon striker also had a shot on the turn from just three yards blocked on the line.

But Darlington deserved the victory. They always looked the more threatening side with Alun Armstrong going close four times in the opening 20 minutes.

No doubt spurred on by his hat-trick against Southend, Armstrong looked very sharp but kept shooting just past the post.

Summary – the Shrimpers vs. the U’s

(Last Five Matches)

Southend United

W4-1 (home; Shrewsbury Town; LDV Vans Trophy; Freddy Eastwood 2, Wayne Gray [pen], Mark Bentley)

W2-1 (home; Northampton Town; League Two; Mark Gower, Wayne Gray)

D1-1 (away; Shrewsbury Town; League Two; Wayne Gray)

L2-3 (away; Scunthorpe United; League Two; Freddy Eastwood, Jimmy Corbett)

W4-2 (home; Swansea City; League Two; Freddy Eastwood 3, Spencer Prior)

(Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 1, Scored 13, Conceded 8)

Oxford United

W1-0 (home; Cheltenham Town; League Two; Tommy Mooney)

L0-1 (away; Macclesfield Town; League Two)

L0-1 (away; Northampton Town; League Two)

L0-1 (home; Lincoln City; League Two)

L1-2 (home; Darlington; League Two; David Woozley)

(Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 4, Scored 2, Conceded 5)

Summary – the Shrimpers vs. the U’s

(Blues at home and United away)

Southend United home

W4-1 (LDV Vans Trophy; Shrewsbury Town; Freddy Eastwood 2, Wayne Gray [pen], Mark Bentley)

W2-1 (League Two; Northampton Town; Mark Gower, Wayne Gray)

W4-2 (League Two; Swansea City; Freddy Eastwood 3, Spencer Prior)

W2-1 (League Two; Boston United; Mark Gower, Wayne Gray)

W1-0 (League Two; Kidderminster Harriers; Mark Gower)

(Won 5, Drawn 0, Lost 0, Scored 13, Conceded 5)

Oxford United away

L0-1 (League Two; Macclesfield Town)

L0-1 (League Two; Northampton Town)

L0-2 (League Two; Bristol Rovers)

L1-6 (League Two; Yeovil Town; Jamie Hand)

D1-1 (League Two; Wycombe Wanderers; Roget)

(Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 4, Scored 2, Conceded 11)