Oxford united FC
Oxford United Women 2-2 Real Bedford – National League
The home side welcomed the visitors in what proved to be an exciting and hard-fought contest.
Holly Manders emerged as the standout performer for the United side, netting both goals as they fought back twice to secure a point.
Despite dominating the early exchanges, United found themselves trailing after thirty-two minutes.
A stunning long-range effort from Melis Mehmet caught goalkeeper Beth Wookey off guard, soaring into the top corner to give the Pirates the lead.
The home side continued to press but struggled to break through a resolute Bedford defence, heading into halftime a goal down.
However, the tide turned shortly after the break. Jenna Legg, who was instrumental in midfield throughout the match, threaded a perfectly timed pass to Manders.
And the forward made no mistake, firing home to level the score.
With momentum on their side, Oxford looked the more likely to take the lead, forcing Bedford’s keeper, Erica Meale, into a couple of decent stops.
Yet, against the run of play, it was the Pirates who struck next. Mehmet once again proved to be a thorn in United’s side, weaving through the defence to slot the ball past Wookey, restoring Bedford’s advantage.
The visitors seemed poised to extend their lead, putting the home side under pressure.
Nevertheless, Oxford’s resilience shone through. In stoppage time, a handball on the edge of the penalty area awarded the U’s a free kick.
Manders stepped up to take it, curling the ball around the wall and into the net, igniting jubilant celebrations among the home fans.
United will return to the MGroup Stadium this Sunday for their final match of the season against Lewes, who recently climbed above them in the standings following a 2-1 home victory over AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.
Fans are encouraged to come out and support the team as they aim to finish the campaign on a high note.
Attendance at the game was 241.
The 22-year-old has been a standout performer for the U’s this season with his consistency and attacking threat which will need to be harnessed as Oxford fight for survival in the last three fixtures of the Championship season.
The Yellows were defeated 1-0 by Derby County last weekend to dampen fans’ hopes of staying up, with Matt Bloomfield’s men now five points from safety with a game in hand on Blackburn Rovers who lie one place above.
Welcoming a Wrexham side who are making a late push for the play-offs, Mills and co. must find the wins they need in the final three games.
“We all believe it can be done. It has to start tomorrow night. You don’t really want to say games are a must-win but tomorrow feels like a must-win game.
“We’re going to go into the game trying to win.
“I think the gaffer’s shown that he believes in me and that makes a massive difference confidence-wise. I’m trying to do what I can on the pitch and we’re doing all we can to help Oxford stay in the division.
“You have to look forward to it as a football player, to come up against the so-called better teams in the league. I think you have to be ready to enjoy the battle.
“Obviously, they’re fighting for play-offs and they’re going to want to come here and win the game, but that also means there’s quite a lot of pressure on them.
“We just have to try and stick to us, do our own job and hopefully that can be enough.”
Video thoughts after a tough result to take in #OxfordUnited’s 1-0 defeat to Derby County. 💭
Refreshment needed for Wrexham on Tuesday after a performance which felt like one of a doomed team. 😬#oufc 🟡 pic.twitter.com/EKvW0fm271
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) April 18, 2026
READ MORE: Oxford United legend John Aldridge on Milk Cup Wembley win
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READ MORE: Oxford United expect no favours amid Wrexham preparation
Mills, who has three goals and three assists in the league this season, has become one of the first names on the team sheet under Bloomfield after receiving less minutes under previous head coach Gary Rowett.
There has been a clear development in his game with the former Everton man causing more and more trouble for his full back week on week.
“I think I’m very direct as a winger,” Mills pondered.
“I like to get out of the full back and try and create as many chances as possible. I think there’s definitely more to come from my game in regards to going both ways and giving the full back a bit of a headache.
“You can go down the outside, you can come on the inside, it’s going to be more difficult. I think I can definitely add more of that to my game. At the minute, I feel very consistent and I’m playing a lot of minutes.
“I’ve never played this many minutes and it’s a good feeling.”
The January signing from Millwall came on for the final half an hour in the U’s 1-0 defeat to Derby County on Saturday and made a positive impact off the bench.
Emakhu achieved four progressive carries and two successful dribbles in his substitute appearance and created a chance for Mark Harris in the final moments with a low ball across in the box.
The Derby defeat was the Irishman’s ninth appearance in Oxford colours but only three of those have been from the start.
When asked if Emakhu was pushing for a start against Wrexham on Tuesday, U’s boss Bloomfield replied: “Absolutely. He’s pushing.
“I thought he was excellent on Saturday.
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“He really gave us forward momentum when we needed it. The player on Saturday is the one that we’ve been chasing and that we brought to the building and brought into our football club. We know he’s going to be a really big player for us for the future.
“So he’s a massive plus. He’s been training well for the last week or two and deserved his opportunity to get on the pitch and he grabbed it with both hands.”
Oxford remain 22nd in the league and five points away from safety ahead of the welcoming of seventh-placed Wrexham on Tuesday.
The match took place, showcasing the young talents of both sides in a crucial league encounter.
The draw secured the championship for the Young U’s, who have shown remarkable resilience throughout the season.
Mo Missanga opened the scoring for Oxford with a well-executed team goal, assisted by Ethan Dickinson-Annell, putting the home side ahead in the first half.
However, the second half saw a shift in momentum, with both teams struggling to maintain control.
Despite Oxford’s efforts to extend their lead, including a near miss from Missanga that struck the crossbar, Exeter found a way back into the game.
In a dramatic turn of events, Louie Cayless converted a penalty awarded in the dying moments, ensuring the points were shared.
Despite not securing all three points, the Young U’s were jubilantly crowned champions, finishing ahead of Plymouth Argyle with three matches remaining.
Their success follows a stellar week for the Academy, having also claimed the Under-21s title. Looking ahead, Oxford will face AFC Wimbledon in a final to determine the Southern league winners, with the victor set to compete in the Youth Alliance League final against the Northern champions.
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