Oxford United 1 (Louis 72) Swansea City 0

After their pitiable performance last week at the Kassam stadium the Oxford fans were hoping that there team could produce a result at home and that they did.

The game may not of been the best to watch but Oxford did the job that hey needed to do and that was to win at home. Oxford have not won at home since 10 of august and this was only 2-1 against Bury.

Oxford had started the brightest but slowly Swansea gained control of the midfield, Swansea kept on trying to play the ball over the Oxford defence to Watkins but to much of there frustration Oxford held there ground and were defending well.

On 5 minutes Swansea played a lovely move and the ball fell to the feet of their number 9 James Thomas he managed to get a good shot in only for it to be blocked by Matt Bound.

On 6 the Swansea moved had motivated the Oxford players They were holding the ball up instead of playing hot potato with it and kick it away every time it became In there path, and a good ball from Matthew Bound Found Manny Omoyinmi in a good position but he was dispossessed of it from Terry Evans and this was to be his last contribution to the game as he went of on 8 minutes to be replaced by De-Vulgt.

On 7 minutes the visitors look like they would go one up a good move from the Swansea midfield found Thomas with a lot of time and space at the edge of the Oxford 18 yard area Thomas hit the shot it looked as if it was to fly into the bottom right of the goal but much to the disbelief of the crowd Woodman managed to get the slightest amount of contact on it to get it on to the post, it hit the post and fell to Watkins who was on the six yard box waiting to pounce, he thought that his luck had rolled in but much to his astonishment he hit it not very hard but it was still on target but Woodman managed to get an extended arm to it and even got it safe in to hands. This was a brilliant piece of goalkeeping and may even of won the game for Oxford as if Swansea would of scored that early on in the game they may even of conceded more.

On 10 minutes the visitors had settled down and both teams were in a deadlock in the middle of the park. A good spell of possession for Oxford and a good pass from Bound released Robinson down the left he managed to get a cross in even though he was harassed by a Swansea defender the cross found the head of a half willing Whithead and to no ones surprise he headed wide.

On 17 Swansea found there form attractive moves to put Oxford players out of the game were starting to show and a good cross from Jonathon Keaveny into the Oxford box found only the head of one Matthew Bound, but this was a sign that Oxford needed to pick up there game and fast.

On 20 pressure from Swansea again from the left and another cross this time from James Thomas found the head of Steve Watkins he only managed to head it over and into the stands.

Oxford are starting to get a grip with the pace of the game but are trying to get the ball over the Swansea defence to Manny Omoyinmi but seeing that he is only my height they are not going to find him.

On 28 Manny Omoyinmi gets the ball of a good pass from James Hunt but unfortunately Manny took to long on the ball and was dispossessed.

Oxford are holding in defence and are keeping Swansea away from the ball.

On 33 Swansea get the ball of Oxford and a lovely darting run made by Mumford down Oxfords left flank he managed to pick out Watkins in the box but just as I thought that Watkin was going to get a head on it Andy Crosby managed to jump up to suspend the Swansea attack.

On 38 a bad mistake in the middle of the park by Savage and the ball found the feet of Keaveny he dashed down the wing and got a low cross in to Oxfords 18 yard box the box was packed full of Swansea players itching to get on the score sheet but luckily the ball hit the shin of Andy Crosby and rolled out for a corner. This was to be taken by Andrew Mumfield it was crossed in well and found the head of Thomas who no one had seen prowling at the back post but fortunately he headed just wide.

On 44 this was the first real sign that Oxford might score good pressure by savage won him the ball he threaded the ball though to Manny Omoyinmi and he caught the ball just right but freestone managed to get down well to make a good save.

On 45 this was the time that the fans got really annoyed with the ref up to this point the ref was blowing his whistle for the slightest things and on this occasion it was against Bobby Ford he was alleged to have gone in to hard on Watkin even though he had one the ball, the crowd where not happy with this decision and started chanting the referee’s a w****r this made him blow his whistle even more in the favour of Swansea.

This was to be the last significant act of the half.

On 46 the Oxford players come out looking recharged after the half time interval.

A ball down the line down the line from Oldfield found Manny Omoyinmi with time he got a good cross into the box only to be headed out for a corner. This was to be taken by Ford he got it in only to find the head of one of the few Swansea players in the box Howard.

On 52 a lovely ball from Ford found Oldfield he managed to fend of two Swansea players and played it back to McNiven who curled it in to the Swansea box with his first touch the ball was heading towards the grasp of Freestone until Manny Omoyinmi surprisingly jumped at least three feet of the ground to get a good header on it but it just went wide much to the frustration of the Oxford fans.

On 57McNiven got the ball on the right and played a beautiful 1-2 with Oldfield he crossed it in only to have it go over the head of Manny and headed out.

On 61 Robinson gets the ball off McNiven and crosses in only for it to be headed out again.

On 65 Oxfords efforts looked as if they might be rewarded a pin point cross from Ford found the head of Louis he got contact on it and for a second it looked as if it was going to go in, but the header had little or no power on it and fell nicely into Freestones gloves.

On 67 Atkins brought on Hackett and he had an instant effect on the game. On 70 Hackett found himself on the right with one Swansea player to beat he did this and crossed deep towards Swansea’s goal it looks as though Oldfield is going to get on the end of it but a Swansea defender got to it just before and launched it out of the Swansea half.

On 72 this was to be the moment that great link up play between the midfield and attack. Ford threaded the ball though to Hackett on the right and was faced with two Swansea defenders he dropped a shoulder and at the blink of an eye had got past them he crossed the ball to the penalty spot area and who was waiting there Jefferson Louis he delicately guided it in to the net to the sound of a huge cheer (and sigh of relief) From the Oxford fans. The player that is on ninety pound a weak bailed Oxford out again with a cool head.

This goal had made Oxford more concrete and there defence was holding out whatever Swansea was giving (which was not a lot).

On 80 Hackett gets the ball on the left in a good scoring opportunity he hits it well but an even better save of Freestone.

On 88 the visitors got a freekick on the edge of the Oxford 18 yard box this was probably the last chance for Swansea to salvage a point from this tie it was struck by Howard it went flying past Andy Woodman’s left hand side and in to the car park much to the relief of the Oxford fans.

1.Andy Woodman                                                        1.Rodger Freestone

2.Scott McNiven                                                          17.Terry Evans                       

11.Matthew Robinson                                                   4.Kristian O’Leary

11.Dean Whithead                                                       20.Micheal Howard                                 

12.Andy Crosby                                                           5.Jason Smith                                                    

5.Gavin Gordon                                                           15. Jonathon Keaveny                                            

8.James Hunt                                                              7.Andrew Mumford                                       

21. Bobby Ford                                                           11.Paul Reid                            

4.David Savage                                                           22.James Thomas                             

14.Manny Omoyinmi                                                   10.Steve Watkin                                

18.Matthew Bound                                                                

Subs                            Subs

17.Jefferson Louis (on for Whithead 57)                          6.David Theobald

6.David Waterman                                                        8.Matthew Murphy

7.Chris Hacket (on for Omoyinmi 67)                              14.Micheal Jackson

3.Paul Powell                                                               16.David Moss (on for Keaveny 73)

22. David Oldfield (on for Gordon 17)                                4.Leigh De-Vulgt (on for Evans 8)