Oxford United 0 Scunthorpe 1 Beagrie (pen 57)

This fixture seemed like another three points to Oxford after there triumph at the valley just a few days ago, but this was not to be the case.

The team was pretty much the same as to that, which started against premiership side Charlton.
Scunthorpe put pressure on the Oxford defence straight from kick off with an impressive shot matched with an equally impressive save from Andy Woodman.

Hunt Gave away a free kick but argued with the ref and got himself booked for descent. After 12 minutes Oxford stepped up a gear a lovely run down the left from Gavin Gordon found Andy Scott’s head only to be put over by the keeper. This was a typical Oxford move they worked the ball nicely not doing anything that they could not do.

Gavin Gordon made a lovely run he bypassed a Scunthorpe player only to be brought down by another in the box the ref waved on as the Oxford fans, looked on in disbelief.

17 minutes gone and this was when Scunthorpe got more motivated, they won a free kick 20 yards out but only managed to graze the bar.

Scunthorpe continuous pressure had the Oxford fans worrying but Scunthorpe only managed to waste their opportunities.

Matthew Sparrow was making the Oxford defence work he took it past Matt Robinson only to foul Garcia.

Still the pressure from Scunthorpe is holding Oxford back if only they could of got the ball and played it though to Gordon we may of won this one.

34 mins gone and Peter Beagrie gets in a shooting chance and from 25 yards out has a pot but much to the relief of Andy Woodman he hits it high and wide.

After good attacking play from Oxford they are awarded with a corner, it was wiped in by savage on to the head of Andy Crosby only to find the advertisement boards.

On 42 minutes Robinson made a good run from inside his half into Scunthorpe’s box only to be tackled. But attack soon turned into defence for Oxford as Andy Dawson picked the ball out of there half and passed to the feet of Matthew Sparrow but he did not keep a cool head and blasted wide yet again.

On 46 Gordon gets a good pass from Savage but as he got to the edge of the Scunthorpe box he got sandwiched.

Oxford came out after the break looking more refreshed and together as a team.

On 47 Gavin Gordon threaded a lovely defence-cutting ball to Andy Scott but only to be tackled and keeper collected for Scunthorpe.

I don’t think that I am the only Oxford fan to question why Atkins played Scott instead of David Oldfield Scott looked tired and was getting less and less threatening as the game progressed.

On 50 it was all Scunthorpe they were holding the ball up beautifully and a neat pass by Garcia found Matthew Sparrow in a good position he put it in the Oxford box along the ground only much to Woodman’s despair there was a goalmouth scramble in Oxfords six yard box the ball finally ended up in the net but much to the relief of the home fans it was offside (one of the few decisions the ref and linesman got right if you ask me).

On 53 Bobby ford was brought down 20 yards out of the Scunthorpe goal. To my surprise Matthew Robinson stepped up but to no ones surprise he hit it over.

Gavin Gordon got possession for Oxford only to be taken out by Mccombe this made Gordon infuriated the two players squared up to one another and Mccombe pushed Gordon in the chest this caused the referee to book Mccombe and luckily Gordon got away with it.

One minute later disaster happened Scunthorpe pressure from the right collapsed the Oxford defence, Garcia crossed into the Oxford box the referee blow his whistle for a penalty the ball had hit James Hunt on the hand how the ref saw this I do not no he was about 10 meters away and the box was congested.

Peter Beagrie stepped up the crowd was chanting Woodman’s name and after his heroic saves mid week we thought that he could summon another fantastic save to pull Oxford out of a sticky situation but it was not to be Beagrie stuck the ball to Woodman’s right hand side and to the opposite side to where he dived.

Oxford where now one nil down again at home.

On 60 Oxford take off Dave Savage to bring on Manny Omoyinmi.

Omoyinmi gets ball and puts in a lovely cross only to have a Scunthorpe head on the end of it but he got a corner out of it.

Oxfords defence is holding but Andy Scott was looking extremely weary, every time that he got the ball he either got tackled or he gave it away.

On 65 Gordon got taken out by two Scunthorpe players to his disbelief the referee gave nothing but the ball did go out for a corner. This was to be taken by Bobby Ford if Oxford where going to take anything away from this fixture then it would have to be now, it was wiped in the goalie elevated to meet the ball mid air and got good connection to hit out of the 18 yard box and by chance it landed to a Scunthorpe player.

On 77Paul Powell got the ball but then lost it but due to his determination he won it back but only to get tackled.

On 82 Gordon had ball in the Scunthorpe half did a lovely run only to shot from 25 yards out into the oxford mail stand.

On 84Andy Dawson got booked for a bad tackle, free kick taken by Mccombe only to be launched away from Andy Crosby. Time is running out for Oxford they have had the possession and the chances but Scott has not done the job today.

On 88Manny Omoyinmi puts in a cross into the Scunthorpe 18 yard box it is a scramble ball falls to Andy Scott but he only manages to get a toe punt to it and the keeper gathers.

On 90 Manny Omoyinmi gets the ball of a Gordon corner instead of playing it into the box he greedily shots and Evans gets down well to save.

1.      Andy Woodman                                                1. Tom Evans

2.      Scott Mcniven                                                   2. Nathan Stanton

11. Matthew Robinson                                             5. Mark Jackson

24. Adi Viveash                                                       4.Jamie Mccombe

5. Andy Crosby                                                       3. Andy Dawson

25. Gavin Gordon                                                    14. Peter Beagrie                                            

8. James Hunt                                                        11.Alex Calvo-Garcia

21. Bobby Ford                                                        8. Wayne Graves

4. David Savage                                                       7. Matthew Sparrow

10. Andy Scott                                                        10. Steve Torpey

18. Matthew Bound                                                  9. Martin Carruthers

Subs                                                                       Subs

12. Dean Whithead                                                  20. Terry Barwick

6.David Waterman                                                   16. Scott Brough    

14. Manny Omoyinmi (for Savage 60)                        23. Leon Ryan

3.      Paul Powell (for Matthew Bound 74)                    18. Russ Wilcox

22. David Oldfield (for Matthew Robinson 84)             22. Neil Collins

Bookings                                                               Bookings

               James Hunt (Decent 9)                                          Mccombe (Bad tackle 55)

                                                                                          Andy Dawson (Bad tackle 76)