Oxford United 3 (Whitehead, Hunter, Oldfield) AFC Bournemouth 0


‘Ave It!!!
This was the United fans’ best Christmas present, a thumping win and a polished performance.
It should be noted if any Cherries fans are to read this that the whole game pivoted on a mad 2 minutes which saw 3
Bournemouth players booked and Marcus Browning sent off in controversial circumstances.
United made one change, Roy Hunter deservedly getting a start in place of the injured Savage, but it was
Bournemouth who made the brighter start, passing and moving beautifully, making United work hard for very
little possession. The midfield in particular looked ill at ease with Ford lining up on the left.
Gradually United found their feet and a Bound free kick found Louis clear on goal. Had his control been
better then Blayney might have had a real problem but the shot was too easy to gather and the chance was
lost.
Hunt twisted his ankle on 9 minutes and was replaced by Whitehead. That substitution, and what followed
next was to prove pivotal.
On 11 minutes, for 2 minutes the match went mad.
Firstly Browning was booked for a foul, and then almost immediately after Elliott was booked for
another foul. As the referee blew for the foul, Browning appeared to kick the ball away. Referee
Warren had no hesitation in handing out a second yellow and Browning amazingly was on his way, walking
away from the incandescent Bournemouth fans.
Despite this United looked ill at ease. Whitehead made a real mess of an indirect free kick by kicking
the ball twice. Oxford seemed incapable of exploiting the extra man, usually McNiven, but then, on 29
minutes it all worked…beautifully.
Whitehead made an erudite run on the right flank, into the box, and Ford found him with a short through
ball. He looked up, and then fired past Blayney from an acute angle into the bottom left hand corner.
Just one thought Dean; best not to try to celebrate with the visiting supporters!
On 37 minutes Louis turned beautifully on the left edge of the box but his tame shot, although deflected
was well gathered by Blayney.
Towards the close of the half Bournemouth rallied as Hayter shot over the bar when a little more vision
would have allowed him to pick out Steve Fletcher at the back post, but that’s Third Division football.
Bournemouth started the second half in much the same fashion as the first. Hayter was put through and with
plenty of time to slot past Woodman managed to give the keeper enough time to narrow the angle to pull off
a sharp save.
Oxford had switched to 4 4 2 with Bound becoming an unlikely left back. Ford and Whitehead took turns to
play on the left and Ford in particular tortured the Cherries defence with pinpoint crosses. Louis troubled
the defence with power and sheer enthusiasm. A run from his own half to the goal line was particularly
memorable.
On the hour Whitehead caught Thomas asleep in the left back position, finding himself in a similar
position as for the goal. This time he decided to be cute and went for the near post shot, but Blayney was
wise to the ruse and saved well.
Louis last contribution was a glorious cross from the right to Basham whose glancing header flashed just
wide.
On 66 minutes there was another moment of controversy. A Whitehead through ball found Basham but
Carl Fletcher was able to shepherd the ball back to Blayney. In doing so he appeared to control the ball
with his arm. Referee Warren waved away the appeals without consulting his linesman.
Oldfield gave United a new dimension and on 73 minutes his influence helped United to double their
lead. Oxford broke quickly form the midfield, and Basham picked up the ball on the right. His square
pass was aimed for Oldfield but with the defence making a beeline for him, he stepped over the ball and
Hunter rushing in behind volleyed home powerfully.
The tide had completely turned as the Cherries defence tired. Basham, desperate for a goal fired over
before United made it three. On 76 minutes, Basham again received the ball on the right and once again
passed square to Oldfield. This time there was to be no step over and the Aussie stoked past Blayney into
the bottom left corner.
Scott blasted wide for 18 yards and the game was stopped briefly as frustrated Cherries fans
disgracefully pelted the linesman. The game concluded as Woodman guaranteed a clean sheet by tipping
Feeney’s 18 yard shot past the right post.
In terms of pure football AFC Bournemouth were the best side I’ve seen in Division 3 action. Somehow
though I think Rushden will provide a sterner test.
See you in Irthlingborough.
 

Oxford United ANDY WOODMAN SCOTT MCNIVEN MATT ROBINSON MATTHEW BOUND ANDY CROSBY DAVID WATERMAN JAMES HUNT BOBBY FORD ROY HUNTER JEFFERSON LOUIS STEVE BASHAM Subs Andy Scott (for Whitehead 78) Abdou Sall David Oldfield (for Louis 64) Lee Steele Dean Whitehead (for Hunt 9) Bookings Waterman (foul 13) Louis (foul 35)

AFC Bournemouth Alan Blayney Neil Young Stephen Purches Carl Fletcher Jason Tindall Wade Elliott Marcus Browning Garreth O’Connor Danny Thomas Steve Fletcher James Hayter Subs Andy Petterson Warren Feeney (for S. Fletcher 59) Narada Bernard Brian Stock (for Hayter 78) Derek Holmes (for Young 69) Bookings Browning (11 foul) Elliott (12 foul) S Fletcher (13 foul) Purches (55 foul ) Feeney (67 foul) Dismissal Browning (12 2nd booking Kicking ball away)

Next Rushden and Diamonds  -   28th December 2002-Division 3




            
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