Oxford united FC
Aaron Ramsey makes ‘easy’ admission as Oxford United beat Notts County
The U’s beat the Magpies 2-1 on Saturday in their first League One game back after the international break.
Mark Harris scored the opener on his 150th Oxford appearance before Cameron Brannagan found an all important second with two minutes remaining.
Martin Paterson’s side found a consolation through Rory Finneran in stoppage time but it was not enough to stop a comfortable Yellows side from taking the three points back to OX4.
Former Arsenal midfielder Ramsey was pleased with his side’s away display.
“It’s always difficult when you have that much control in the first half and perhaps things do become a little bit more easier than expected,” the ex-Wales international admitted.
Siriki Dembele in action for Oxford United (Image: Oxford United)
“There’s a chance for complacency and things like that to come in, but I didn’t see that today.
“I just saw that they got a little bit more joy from the long balls and maybe that swung it a little bit, but then, regardless of that, I thought we stuck to it really well and everything that they threw at us today, we had answers for and that gave us the chance to go on and win the game.
“I thought we controlled the game really well. We really asked them a load of different questions and it’s difficult to come to places like this.
READ MORE: Oxford United player ratings in tough 2-1 Notts County win
READ MORE: Oxford United win 2-1 at Notts County in League One return
“We knew we were going to have to stand up to some of the pressure that they put you in at some point in the game, but I thought we were terrific without the ball today.
“Real intensity in the way that we press, a real togetherness, connected as a team and defending the box really well.
“We pride ourselves a lot on what we do without the ball. We want to be the best in the league at that, in terms of how we measure that.
“Again, we were excellent in that.
Former #OxfordUnited coach Craig Short here at half time š Short left the Uās recently after six years with the club. He also played for Notts County for three years. #oufc https://t.co/Ng82xEYlWX
ā malachi (@MalachiObrey) October 10, 2026
“It’s going to be super important for us, with the teams that we face in this league, that we have that side of it as well, because without that, we wouldn’t be able to do what we want with the ball.”
Harris’ goal in the 18th minute came from an error from Magpies goalkeeper James Belshaw with Oxford putting the pressure on high up the pitch.
Belshaw gifted a pass to the Welsh striker who was perfectly placed to intercept and slot home.
Ramsey continued: “We want to win the ball high up the pitch, where we’re closer to their goal. For us, that’s super important.
“Again, with the right intensity, the right pressing angles, we can win the ball back in dangerous areas.
“Sparky won it back, and I’m delighted that he got another goal.”
Oxford united FC
Oxford United player ratings in tough 2-1 Notts County win
The U’s extended their unbeaten run in the league to four games as Mark Harris and Cameron Brannagan found the net to secure three points.
Jamie Cumming returned to the team for the first time in almost two months in League One whilst Luka Lynch picked up his third assist in yellow colours.
Here is how we rated Aaron Ramsey’s Yellows at Meadow Lane…
Jamie Cumming – 6
A safe outing on his return to the team.
Two saves, the second a good one as he pushed it wide down low.
Peter Kioso – 7.5
Impactful in the tackle and a machine with his forward runs to carry the team up the pitch.
Opposition can’t get near him in his current form.
Oxford United right back Peter Kioso (Image: Oxford United)
Michal Helik – 6.5
Met most of the Magpies’ crosses with the most aerial duels won and kept Daniel Kanu very quiet.
Ciaron Brown – 6.5
Confident and calm on the ball and restricted the hosts to few openings.
Jack Currie (Spencer 76′) – 6.5
Tidy on the ball and showed the occasional trickery, linking up well with Siriki Dembele and Louie Sibley as he often does.
Cameron Brannagan – 7.5
Sprayed some good balls about today and looked in control with the highest pass completion rate of any player (87 per cent).
Kept up with Luka Lynch to take the ball and hit a sweet strike for Oxford’s second.
Louie Sibley (Andrews 58′)- 6.5
Strong first half with intelligent passes and positive carries.
Has grown into a strong cog in Ramsey’s machine.
Tyler Goodrham (O’Donkor 66′) – 6
Should have scored early on, a chance which possibly came too soon.
Frustrating that he was not more involved on his return to the starting XI but did not do much wrong and still found some decent positions.
Mo Missanga (Snowden 66′) – 6
Possibly a bit worn out on his fifth consecutive league start.
Mark Harris – 7
Did his job as a striker, pressing cleverly and finishing when his chance came.
Great to see him score on his 150th Oxford appearance.
Siriki Dembele in action for Oxford United (Image: Oxford United)
Siriki Dembele (Lynch 76′) – 6.5
A shot over the bar with his weak foot and a nice backheel in the first half, alongside winning a couple of free kicks well which led to bookings.
Substitutes:
Kai Andrews (58′) – 6
Good feet and composure off the bench, replacing Sibley seamlessly.
Gatlin O’Donkor (66′) – 6
Leo Snowden (66′) – 6
Feels as though he gets closer to goal with every appearance and proved a threat to the County right back off the bench.
Luka Lynch in action for Oxford United (Image: Darrell Fisher)
Luka Lynch (76′) – 6.5
A shot blocked before picking up a third assist in four Oxford appearances.
Brodie Spencer (76′) – 6
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LIVE: Notts County 1-2 Oxford United – Brannagan bags second before U's concede
Oxford United face Notts County in the early League One kick-off on their return to action after the international break.
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Oxford united FC
Oxford United win 2-1 at Notts County in League One return
Aaron Ramsey’s men extended their league unbeaten run to four games, picking up their fourth win of the season thanks to goals from Mark Harris and captain Cameron Brannagan.
Jamie Cumming just missed out on a clean sheet on his return to the side as Rory Finneran found a stoppage-time consolation goal, with eight yellow cards dished out in a hostile atmosphere.
The U’s rose to fourth in the table ahead of the 3PM kick-offs.
After a scrappy first couple of minutes, Oxford almost, and should have, took the lead with a cross from Mo Missanga touched onto Tyler Goodrham who had time to shoot in the box but could only tamely place it at the goalkeeper.
Jamie Cumming’s first save came moments later, holding Cal Roberts’ low effort.
The U’s soon grew into control, Louie Sibley and Peter Kioso having powerful efforts blocked before the breakthrough.
The opening goal was a gift for Harris, James Belshaw playing the ball straight to the Wales international who slotted home with aplomb.
Possession changed hands fairly often after the goal, County with careless passes as Oxford tried to push forward.
Another giveaway came from Jacob Bedeau to Siriki Dembele, the winger firing over the crossbar as he entered the box.
The Magpies then blasted over themselves, James Gibbons with too much on his effort from the edge of the penalty area.
The hosts did manage to find the net just before the break, Gibbons kicking it out of the grasp of Cumming and a foul given in Oxford’s favour.
READ MORE: Notts County 1-2 Oxford United – live recap
READ MORE: Oxford United boss Aaron Ramsey opens up on Jamie McDonnell injury
Martin Paterson’s men began the second half with vigour, calling for multiple penalties as they tried to force their way into the Yellows’ box.
A good save from Cumming denied a bending Roberts effort, the midfielder seeing another blocked moments later.
A rockets wide at the near post from Goodrham preceded the hosts scuppering a big opportunity, Daniel Kanu missing the ball as it came to him in the box.
Oxford pinned County back with efforts from Lynch and O’Donkor thwarted, before the hosts returned the favour.
Finneran saw a shot blocked himself as the visitors struggled to clear, eventually doing so fatally.
Luka Lynch burst forward for United, playing to Brannagan who arrowed into the bottom corner to bag his side’s second.
A lapse in concentration saw Finneran’s strike from the edge of the area beat Cumming, but it was too little, too late for Paterson’s men.
Magpies: Belshaw, Gibbons (Tsaroulla 46), McDonald, Bedeau, Roberts, Cooper (Finneran 46), Kanu, Grant (Smyth 65), Ness, Palmer (Sanders 46), Samuels-Smith
Yellows: Cumming, Kioso, Helik, Brown, Currie (Spencer 76), Brannagan, Sibley (Andrews 58), Goodrham (O’Donkor 66), Missanga (Snowden 66), Harris, Dembele (Lynch 76)
Bookings: McDonald, Cooper, Sanders, Bedeau, Finneran; Sibley, Kioso, Helik
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