Oxford united FC
Oxford United stars in contention for Hull City after break
Six U’s players went away with their countries, with three – Jamie Donley, Ciaron Brown, and Brodie Spencer – featuring on Tuesday evening for Northern Ireland as they drew 1-1 with Wales.
Midfielder Donley scored his nation’s only goal in that game as Northern Ireland’s Jamie McDonnell and Wales’ Mark Harris did not feature.
“Because the game was so tight, Tuesday to a Friday, you have to keep both scenarios in your head,” Bloomfield said.
“We’ve been preparing without them for the last couple of weeks and they’ve come back in today, so they’ll come back into consideration.”
The Yellows face fifth-placed Hull on Friday who have enjoyed an impressive season under Bosnian manager Sergej Jakirovic.
“We believe that we can give Hull a really good game,” the U’s boss continued.
“We know we’re up against really good opposition who are trying to get into the play-offs and they’ve had a fantastic season.
“We know we’re up against a very good opposition, but we’ve been doing all right recently and we want that to continue.”
Despite sitting high in the Championship table, Hull have conceded the fourth-most goals in the division (57) with a goal difference of just five.
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Experienced names in Oli McBurnie, John Lundstram, and Paddy McNair lie in the Tigers’ ranks, with the former having bagged 13 goals in the league this season, the joint fourth-highest tied with teammate Joe Gelhardt.
“We don’t play opposition like Hull without respecting our opposition. We know that they’re a really good team. You can look at their attacking threats that they’ve got at the top of the pitch and know that they’ve got some really good players.
“We have to be defensively very resolute. They’re really clinical in their work, so we have to be really, really resolute and really aware of that. But we also want to try and excite our home crowd.
“We want to attack the game. We want to win the game. We’ve got to try and score some goals, so we’re going to try and get the balance the best we possibly can.
“But we want our supporters to enjoy watching us as well.
“I’m proud of the group for what they’ve done over the last period of time. And I want them to really attack this last period of games starting tomorrow. Like I say, nothing’s decided tomorrow, but we have an opportunity to go and try and play the best we possibly can.”
Left back Roosken saw match action for the first time in eight games – since the 3-0 Championship defeat to Norwich City in February – replacing the injured Jack Currie in the starting line-up.
The Dutchman had a difficult half against Hull winger Mo Belloumi who beat him and opened the scoring after just four minutes before Roosken was made way for Brodie Spencer at half time.
“Ruben hasn’t played in quite a while, so it was always going to be tough, not just for him, but for everybody,” Peart-Harris told BBC Radio Oxford after Good Friday’s 1-1 draw.
“After the mistake – not even a mistake – after that down period he had, he came back and bounced back and I think for the rest of the half he had their right winger in his pocket and it’s good for his confidence.”
Peart-Harris had one of a number of chances against the Tigers, seeing a poked effort saved by goalkeeper Dillon Phillips, in a game that the U’s were disappointed not to have won.
“It feels like a good point,” the former Brentford man said.
“Coming into the game, we knew it was going to be tough. They’re a play-off team. We gave them a good challenge. I felt there were chances that could have won us the game so disappointed as well that we couldn’t get the three points.
“We focus on ourselves and don’t worry about what’s going on around us. Stay hungry, stay chasing other teams.
“Our performances have been well as a group; one loss in six games. If you told us that a couple of weeks ago, we maybe would not have believed it. We’ve come a long way as a group and hopefully on Monday we can look to get that win.”
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It was a windy occasion against the Tigers, the conditions proving tricky for both teams.
“We all said in the warm-up that the wind was going to play a big part,” the 23-year-old continued.
“The first half especially, if we can get in behind them we can use the wind to our advantage. Conditions weren’t great but it was something we had to deal with.”
Peart-Harris returns to Fratton Park on Easter Monday to face Portsmouth where he spent the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan from Brentford.
“I had very good times at Fratton Park, that was my old loan team. It will be a nice touch going back there and playing against them and hopefully scoring a few.”
The U’s drew 1-1 on Good Friday, Cameron Brannagan scoring again from the penalty spot to cancel out Mo Belloumi’s fourth-minute opener.
Oxford created a whopping 3.44 expected goals, creating a number of good chances, none more so than an agonising miss at the back post from Welsh striker Harris in stoppage time.
When asked if the Yellows should have beaten the Tigers, Bloomfield replied: “Yes.”
Harris was sliding at the to meet Stan Mills’ cross late on which almost won the game for the U’s.
“It looked like he was just stretching to get there, whether he was under control of it or not, I’m not sure,” the United boss continued.
“I thought he added real energy to us when we needed it.
“Jamie Donley was just tiring, obviously he had a busy week and I thought Sparky was excellent.
Post-Hull thoughts after the 1-1 draw. 💭
Thought #OxfordUnited played some really tidy stuff at times today. Tired a bit in the second half but probably should’ve won it with the overall chances. #oufc 🟡 pic.twitter.com/HXPi3WSkKG
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) April 3, 2026
“I thought we were very good, created enough opportunities to win the game.
“It’s not easy to play against Hull and come back from a goal down either, so to keep going and get ourselves back in the game, there’s lots to be pleased with and positive about.”
The Yellows conceded early on similarly to in their last game, a 2-0 defeat at Southampton.
“Really disappointed to go 1-0 down and we have to look at that, but the response from the players to go and create the opportunities that we did, get ourselves back in the goal with the penalty.
“It was so close.
“If we’d have got the win it would have been a very good day.”
Matt Bloomfield told us he wanted the left-foot balance of Ruben Roosken in the first half to support Peart-Harris drifting inside. ⚖️
He also praised Spencer who came on at HT and made a big difference defensively. 👏#oufc 🟡
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) April 3, 2026
Oxford played some neat football at times against the Tigers, Jamie Donley often at the heart of things.
Amidst the scrap of a relegation battle, the Bloomfield is keen to keep the team enjoying their football.
“We’re in a situation that everyone keeps telling me is every game worth six points and cup finals and all the rest of it.
“But I want the boys to go and enjoy their football and to put on a performance that the crowd enjoy.
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“The only way we’re going to win games is to create opportunities and you can’t do that if you’re too tense.
“It’s also about trying to relax them to play some good football and I thought we played some real good stuff today.”
The U’s remain in 23rd after the point, with Leicester still above on goal difference and next opponents Portsmouth one point away in 21st.
A fourth-minute opener from Hull’s Mo Belloumi was a frustrating start, but the United captain’s spot kick levelled things less than ten minutes later.
The U’s late charge saw them almost nick the win through Mark Harris but the ball was turned agonisingly wide of the post.
Will Lankshear found the first effort of the game, seeing his shot from the edge of the box deflected and saved before Hull found an early opener.
Belloumi brought down a long ball forward from Semi Ajayi and drove inside before sticking the ball past Jamie Cumming.
Oxford responded well however, and Lankshear drew a penalty from Charlie Hughes just nine minutes later, the Tottenham Hotspur loanee about to latch onto Jamie Donley’s through ball before being brought down.
Brannagan tucked away the U’s second penalty in as many home games to level the score.
Matt Bloomfield’s men carried on attacking, finding space in wide areas as Lankshear put a diving header agonisingly over the crossbar.
Donley and Belloumi both put efforts off target from the edge of the box, before the latter directed a cross towards Kyle Joseph just wide of the post with the outside of his boot.
Joseph did find a chance moments later, Belloumi this time picking him out, but Cumming saved his shot from a slight angle inside the area.
The U’s tried to hit back again, Ciaron Brown finding Myles Peart-Harris in space, the winger poking his shot at the goalkeeper before Donley’s heavy touch took the rebound wide, the chance going begging when Peart-Harris crossed back in from an offside position.
A blocked volley from Belloumi saw out the first half.
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Two early second-half chances fell for the Yellows as Michal Helik headed over from close range before Brannagan forced a diving save from Dillon Phillips from a long way out.
Hull hit back as John Lundstram saw a vicious shot blocked in the box before Matt Crooks had two efforts in the box go begging.
A multitude of shots were blocked by Hull shirts before ambitious efforts from Mark Harris and Helik.
As the board showing four minutes added time was shown, Oxford almost took the win.
Harris slid in at the back post to meet Stan Mills’ low ball but was stretching and could only put it painfully wide of the post.
Substitute Will Vaulks forced a final save out of Phillips with a sweet strike, but it was a point apiece in the end.
Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Roosken, Konak, Brannagan, Mills, Donley, Peart-Harris, Lankshear
Hull: Phillips, Drameh, Ajayi, Hughes, Coyle, Lundstram, Crooks, Belloumi, Gelhardt, Joseph, McBurnie
Bookings: Hughes
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