Oxford united FC
Oxford United CEO thanks ‘inspirational’ Will Vaulks
Tuesday night saw Vaulks involved in a mental health workshop alongside the founder and the clinical director of the charity ‘Baton of Hope’ and the U’s head of media and PR, Ryan Maher.
Members of the Yellows squad attended the evening as did head coach Matt Bloomfield and CEO Williams.
“Of all the things that we do as a football club, this is the one thing that, when I sit here and watch Ryan and Will and the guys from Baton of Hope stand up and speak, there is a warmth that goes right through my body,” Williams said after the event.
“It is truly inspirational to see so many people here, and some people who have actually been so brave to share their stories.
“We talk about this a lot with Oxford United in the community, we talk about it at the EFL, this is actually not just changing lives but hopefully saving lives.”
U’s player Vaulks has received recognition from FIFPRO for his work in promoting mental health and has recently been given £10,000 towards his work from the PFA.
“Will deserves every piece of congratulations that he gets, every plaudit, every award. Everyone that comes up to Will and tells him what a great job he’s doing, he deserves all of that.
READ MORE: Oxford United boss Bloomfield explains Ruben Roosken absence
“But I think it’s kind of more than that. The great thing we can use Will for, and the great thing we can use football for, is the platform.
“Somebody said tonight, how do we actually get this out to the wider community? The brilliant thing about this is that every Saturday we have 11,500 people who can actually share.
“You think of the touchpoints of those people and how many degrees of separation they actually are from others, we can reach the entire county just by one football game.
READ MORE: Oxford United quintet called up to World Cup qualifiers
“That’s the beauty of football. Football can be used for such a power of good in this area and I think this is so important for us.”
The atmosphere around the club currently feels united thanks to these initiative and, of course, the recent positive Championship results.
READ MORE: Oxford United’s Will Vaulks expands mental health training
“We’re hoping for an up for the end of the season,” Williams continued.
“But you know what’s important is that actually we’re behaving in the right way going into the end of the season and that is with real belief, positivity, we’re talking, there’s enthusiasm around the training ground.
“We’ve got eight games to go and we’re going to go for it.”
Cameron Brannagan dispatched the U’s first spot kick since returning to the second tier after Will Lankshear was fouled in the box.
It was late heartbreak though for Matt Bloomfield’s men, Ciaron Brown giving away a 91st-minute penalty which Charlie Kelman slotted away for the Addicks.
A drab first half saw just one shot come in from either side, Jamie Donley putting a free kick from the edge of the box just over the crossbar.
Aidomo Emakhu found an path through to goal earlier on when Lankshear headed the ball centrally and into his path, but the Irish winger was shrugged off the ball by the retreating Harry Clarke.
Charlton held 60 per cent of the possession in the first period but the Yellows held their own, limiting the visitors to very little openings as they failed to manage a shot.
Lankshear held the ball up well when receiving long passes, but did not have quite enough support to find them near him in space.
The second period provided slightly more promise, Michal Helik flicking over the bar from close range.
The unthinkable happened in the 57th minute when Oxford were awarded their first penalty in 675 days.
Lankshear was impeded as Sam Long crossed in, with the referee giving the U’s a penalty for the first time since the League One play-off semi-final second leg against Peterborough United in May 2024.
Brannagan stepped up to take it and slotted it neatly into the bottom left corner to put United ahead.
The U’s almost doubled their lead moments later when Lankshear chipped the keeper, but Lloyd Jones came across to clear off the line.
Charlton began to pick up then, Tyreece Campbell firing a low shot at goal but seeing it blocked.
Still, Oxford tried to hit on the break, Przemyslaw Placheta fizzing a vicious ball across goal which no one was there to meet.
READ MORE: Oxford United boss and captain pay tribute to Amelia Aplin
As the Addicks began to float numerous balls into the box, they won a late penalty when Ciaron Brown grabbed the shirt of Jones who hit the deck.
Kelman stepped up to slot home, scoring after coming off the bench as he did in December’s reverse fixture.
READ MORE: Oxford United striker snubbed Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town
The draw brings Oxford’s winning streak to end but maintains an unbeaten run of four Championship fixtures.
Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Currie, Konak (McDonnell 65), Brannagan, Mills (Vaulks 84), Donley (Spencer 77), Emakhu (Placheta 65), Lankshear (Prelec 77)
Charlton: Mannion, Ramsay (Kelman 60), Jones, Bell, Clarke, Docherty (Fullah 82), Coventry (Fevrier 68), Chambers (Rankin-Costello 82), Carey, Campbell, Leaburn
Bookings: Helik, Mills, Brown; Chambers, Clarke, Bell, Rankin-Costello
Charlie Kelman scored from the spot for the Addicks in the 91st minute after Ciaron Brown’s foul on Lloyd Jones saw the referee point to the spot.
The U’s had taken the lead earlier in the second half when Cameron Brannagan converted a penalty of his own which was Oxford’s first spot kick in 675 days and first since returning to the Championship.
“Because of the timing of the goal against, it feels terribly disappointing right now that we haven’t seen it over the line,” Bloomfield said after the game.
“We’ve waited a long time as a football club for that penalty and Cam put it away [well].
“It felt like there was a really good energy in the ground in the second half. I didn’t think we were quite where we needed to be in the first half and we discussed that at half time.
“It was never going to be a free-flowing game today. It was always going to be a highly contested game which I think was what we all watched.
“We needed to be more proactive, it felt like we were a bit reactive in the first half. Right from the kick-off in the second half, I felt like we were that team.
“We had the momentum, got the goal.
“Will had one cleared off the line. Shemmy Placheta and Aidomo Emakhu both had opportunities that we could have possibly done better with.
READ MORE: Matt Bloomfield dedicates Oxford United win to Amelia Aplin
“I think if we’d have got the second, the game would’ve been done in our favour.
“At 1-0, there’s always opportunity for the opposition to have a chance and get themselves back in the game.
“We’re obviously really disappointed right now but 10 points in the last four games is a real positive for us.”
Oxford had chances to score from open play over the 90 minutes, whereas Charlton’s converted penalty was their only shot on target across the whole match.
Emakhu was muscled off the ball in a good position in the first half, whilst Will Lankshear had an effort cleared off the line shortly after Brannagan’s goal.
READ MORE: Oxford United 1-1 Charlton Athletic: Late heartbreak for U’s
“We wanted to go and get the second and kill the game off.
“We’ve had those opportunities from open play and unfortunately one didn’t go in. We have to try and stay calm with our reactions so soon after the game when it feels disappointing that we only drew because of the timing of the goals.
“We’d have loved to have won the game today. We’re terribly disappointed that that wasn’t the case.”
Will Lankshear went down in the box after a nudge from Kayne Ramsay, Cameron Brannagan slotting the spot kick away 675 days after he netted the U’s last penalty in May 2024.
Oxford failed to hang onto the lead though, Ciaron Brown pulling on the shirt of Lloyd Jones to give Charlton a late lifeline which Charlie Kelman scored in the 93rd minute.
Addicks boss Jones was not happy with both the penalty decision against his side and his team’s performance.
“Am I happy with the level of performance? Absolutely not, especially second half,” the Welshman declared.
“They didn’t stick to the game plan, didn’t listen to a thing I said at half time, and that’s why we came unstuck and conceded.
“I mean, the penalty, I’ve got to choose my words very carefully, an extremely poor decision.
“Saying that, we showed character, we threatened and we probably looked most likely to have won it in the end.
“[Referees] get swayed by crowds and emotion and don’t just make clear decisions.
“You can’t step outside your technical area because they’re right on you and they’ll give bookings and stuff. It’s the poorest of decisions.”
There were not many arguments about the penalty that Brown conceded for Oxford, with Jones saying: “Only a fool wouldn’t have given it.”
Away from refereeing decisions, the Charlton manager was not happy with his team’s display at the Kassam.
“[The players] just didn’t listen at half time.
READ MORE: Matt Bloomfield dedicates Oxford United win to Amelia Aplin
“We played into [Oxford’s] hands. They sit off and want you to play easy, basic, slow tempo football and then they’ll break on you, and that’s what they’ve done.
“We said to [the players], their high line, turn them, get on balls in behind and make them defend, composed in the box, and you’ll get joy.
“We did that for the last 15 minutes and got joy [but] we didn’t do it for 75 and that’s why we were 1-0 behind, as well as the poor decision.”
READ MORE: Matt Bloomfield disappointed as Oxford United held to draw
READ MORE: Oxford United 1-1 Charlton Athletic: Late heartbreak for U’s
The point takes Charlton to 48 points in the Championship and nine above the relegation where the U’s currently lie.
After looking like they might be in the thick of the fight for survival, the Addicks look set to secure second-tier status this season after achieving promotion via the play-offs in the previous campaign.
Meanwhile, Matt Bloomfield’s men sit 22nd in the division, one point from safety with West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth both a single points above them.
-
Crime & Safety2 weeks agoOxford: ‘Next generation’ LimeBikes in city from today
-
Jobs & Careers2 weeks agoExplore our Careers
-
Oxford Events2 weeks agoMichelin Guide Oxfordshire Restaurants – The Oxford Magazine
-
Jobs & Careers2 weeks agoWhy Join Oxford | Oxford University Jobs
-
Jobs & Careers2 weeks agoInternal Job Board for University vacancies
-
Crime & Safety2 weeks agoCrash partially blocks A40 and causes severe Oxfordshire traffic
-
Student Life2 weeks agoThe independent cinema battling Oriel College to stay open
-
Oxford Events2 weeks agoOxford News and Events, What’s on in Oxford, Exhibitions