Oxford united FC
Portsmouth boss on ‘strange’ Oxford United controversy
Pompey left back Connor Ogilvie was sent off after 21 minutes for a strong challenge on Stan Mills, whilst Brodie Spencer evaded a second yellow card in the second half.
At a malicious Fratton Park, Oxford thought they had found a winner when Will Lankshear put them 2-1 up with nine minutes left, only for Andre Dozzell to equalise six minutes later.
Keshi Anderson has given the hosts an early lead before Spencer levelled instantly in the second period, scoring his first goal for the U’s.
“My take on the red in real time was…I didn’t think anyone in this stadium was expecting it to be a red, including Oxford,” former Yellows captain Mousinho reacted after the game.
“Oxford’s bench’s reaction…no-one’s asking for anything.
“In these circumstances, when the stakes are so high, you tend to do that. As a manager, as a coaching staff, I didn’t think it was a red card.
“I think if you’re going to do something as monumental as that in a game, you have to be 100% sure.
“I’m not going to hide away from the fact that I don’t think Connor needs to make the challenge. But if that’s a red card, there’s going to be a fair few red cards dished out over the next few weeks.
A debatable red but can see why it was given. Cuts across Mills and is reckless, arguably out of control after the ball goes.
Pompey fans fuming.#oufc 🟡
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) April 6, 2026
“My thought in the moment was it wasn’t red and when I’ve seen it back, I don’t think it was.
“There was a heavy challenge that went in on one of my players, then you can talk about the consistency of a decision for the red card versus yellow card.
“My issue with the Spencer one was just to clear up that second yellow.
 “There was no need for anything other to happen. Spencer being booked and he ended up getting sent off. Everyone in the crowd knew it.
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“Everyone on the ground knew it. We knew it. Oxford knew it
“They whipped him off straight away. They’re not idiots. He was almost laughing on the bench.
“Not in a disrespectful way, but I couldn’t believe what had actually happened.
“It was such a strange decision.
“I think we’ll definitely appeal [the Ogilvie red card.”
“We would have been really disappointed with the point before the game.
“But with the circumstances, obviously, the red card and playing that long with 10 men and also going a goal down late on. We’ll take it and dust ourselves off and move on.”
The U’s are looking to strengthen after their relegation from the Championship last season, with a new striker wanted by supporters after the return of fan favourite Will Lankshear to his parent club Tottenham Hotspur.
Chaplin spent last season on loan at boyhood club Portsmouth as the club survived in the second tier, the 29-year-old scoring twice and managing one assist in 40 appearances.
Meanwhile, his parent club Ipswich secured promotion to the Premier League by finishing second in the league only behind runaway champions Coventry City.
The Englishman was key in the Tractor Boys’ League One promotion-winning season where they finished second, Chaplin scoring 26 goals that year to win the division’s Golden Boot award, joint with Peterborough United’s Jonson Clarke-Harris.
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He was also awarded Ipswich’s Player of the Season award and included in the League One Team of the Season.
Chaplin then struck 13 goals in the Championship as the Suffolk side were promoted again, before suffering relegation from the Premier League the year after.
The attacking midfielder was released by Ipswich last month following their return to the top flight and SportsBoom are reporting that Oxford have ‘expressed an interest’ in signing the free agent.
With experience in the top tiers of English football and proof of goal scoring prowess in League One, Chaplin would be a sensible addition to the U’s ranks.
Tottenham Hotspur want £20 million for 21-year-old Will Lankshear and have turned down multiple bids for him, according to Hayters.
The ex-U’s striker, who was the club’s top scorer last term with 12 goals in all competitions, is highly rated by his parent side who narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League last season finishing two points above the drop zone.
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However, they haven’t ruled out selling him if the right offer comes in with Portuguese side Sporting CP reportedly interested.
In addition Spurs is also considering another loan move for Lankshear to a Championship club, although the London team is looking to fund a summer spending spree that has already seen a £52 million bid for defender Jan Paul Van Hecke accepted by Brighton.
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Lankshear has made three Premier League appearances for Spurs as well as scoring one goal in three Europa League features.
In a breakout season in men’s football, the England youth international became a fan favourite in OX4 for his tenacity and goal scoring success in a struggling Championship team.
The 21-year-old’s attitude off the pitch also endeared the fans to his name, with the player crediting the club as the place where it all began ahead of a hopefully successful career.
The U’s will play host to the Tractor Boys on Saturday, August 1, with kick-off scheduled for 12:00PM.
The fixture is the fourth pre-season friendly confirmed by the club and the first from a division higher than League One, where Oxford will compete next term.
United will face National League side Aldershot Town (Tuesday, July 21) and League Two club Barnet (Saturday, July 25) away from home before the welcoming of another fourth-tier outfit Crawley Town (Tuesday, July 28).
The U’s have also confirmed that tickets for the trip to Aldershot are now on sale.
Oxford played Ipswich twice in the Championship last season as Matt Bloomfield’s side suffered relegation whilst the Suffolk club were promoted to the Premier League, finishing second.
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Under former head coach Gary Rowett, the Yellows pulled off a shock 2-1 victory against Kieran McKenna’s men in OX4 in late November, Mark Harris and Przemyslaw Placheta scoring the goals.
They were defeated 2-1, however, in the second fixture, Will Lankshear scoring the only goal for the U’s at Portman Road.
The Tractor Boys are currently on the hunt for a new manager after McKenna stepped down last week in order to take a break from football management.
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