Oxford united FC
Oxford United ‘earned right to play’ in first Aaron Ramsey win
It definitely wasn’t always pretty – for large periods of the game on Saturday, it was rather ugly – but it was a first win of the season for Oxford United and a first competitive victory in management for Aaron Ramsey.
As expected, Stevenage – a side that only lost twice at home last season and finished the campaign in sixth – set up for a battle.
Despite flashes of threat, particularly in the first half, it was clear a large part of their gameplan was to disrupt the control and rhythm Oxford wanted to create.
United needed to adapt.
Ramsey and most of the players have spoken since his arrival about the shift towards a more possession-heavy approach. It sounds great, but as we saw on Saturday, the style needs and does have flexibility.
Although the first half was bitty, frustrating and at times a challenging watch, Oxford matched Stevenage for fight, aggression in duels and intensity out of possession.
I’m sure, by Ramsey’s own admission, he would have hoped for slightly more threat when Oxford did reclaim possession in the opening 45 minutes, but that was for later.
Oxford earned the right to play.
Once they knew they could match the opposition physically and the game began to open up, we saw the style Ramsey wants to implement develop in front of our very eyes.
In the early exchanges, Oxford struggled to progress the ball into wide areas and allow the likes of Siriki Dembele and Aidomo Emakhu to pose a threat in the final third.
In the second half, though, Oxford’s second goal was a perfect example of an important difference.
Emakhu received the ball in an advanced area before threading a defence-splitting pass into Gatlin O’Donkor who was brought down by the goalkeeper.
That opportunity simply wouldn’t have existed in the first half – and perhaps not in the second either had Oxford failed to counteract Boro’s gameplan and gone a goal behind.
And a word on O’Donkor.
In some ways, I’ve felt sorry for him; it seems that whenever Oxford are thrown into a crisis, the youngster is called upon.
But I loved the fact that, despite our issues, he is being given the opportunity to show his development after some promising loan spells and is now making an impact at the club he joined at such a young age.
His ability to use his frame to hold up the ball was on full display. His power to drive at defenders was a threat, as was his speed and intelligence to time his run, reach the pass and draw a foul from the goalkeeper.
And, of course, there was the brilliant headed finish too.
This Oxford United under Ramsey is certainly not the finished article.
But as hard-fought away performances go, I think we can all agree there was a lot to like.
Aaron Ramsey’s Yellows took the lead in the first half thanks to a peach from Aston Villa loanee Luka Lynch, before a chaotic second half saw Oxford concede an equaliser and reduced to nine men.
Defender Peter Kioso and striker Gatlin O’Donkor both received second yellow cards, meaning United had to weather a late storm to hold onto a point at the One Call Stadium.
Here is how we rated the U’s on Thursday night…
Jamie Cumming – 4.5
Three total saves but a couple of sketchy moments with his feet.
Fumbled the ball for the equaliser, not strong enough coming for the cross.
Disappointing on his return to the team and needs to get some form and rhythm back.
Peter Kioso – 5
Kioso was a bit clumsy in some of his actions, picking up a booking and winning fewer than half of his duels.
Began the second period better, but was dismissed with 15 minutes left after the referee judged him to have dived, receiving a second yellow.
Michal Helik – 6
A couple of slip-ups with his feet but was in the right place to deal with crosses for most of the evening.
11 clearances to his name with backs against the wall late on.
Ciaron Brown – 7
Instinctive to find himself in the right areas at the right times as the Stags got forward.
Immense with 15 total clearances, won all six of his duels and put in a good sliding challenge after a dangerous Mansfield cross.
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Brodie Spencer – 5
Needed help as left one versus one – sometimes versus two – a lot in the first half and dribbled past twice.
Won four of his five tackles.
Cameron Brannagan – 5
A big error almost led to a goal which was out of character but passing was decent overall with one key pass to his name.
Kai Andrews – 5.5
Got forward a bit more in the second half before having to defend again after the red cards.
Louie Sibley (O’Donkor 59′) – 5
Taken off at the hour mark after a tough outing against a persistent Mansfield.
Luka Lynch (Missanga 59′) – 7.5
A beauty of a strike for his first professional goal and was easily United’s biggest threat.
Was dangerous both cutting inside and getting to the by-line, beating his man and winning three fouls.
That is three assists and one goal in his first five Yellows appearances. Not bad.
Mark Harris (Currie 77′)- 5
Isolated up top.
He is not a hold-up striker so struggled to get involved, with the midfield not there to help him out on many occasions.
His only effort all game was an early glancing header wide.
Siriki Dembele (Long 80′) – 6
A quiet one for his standards this season but grabbed an assist, performed some important carries and won three fouls.
Substitutes:
Mo Missanga (59′) – 6
Gatlin O’Donkor (59′) – 4
Unlucky with the first booking but a silly challenge for his second whilst already on a yellow.
Jack Currie (77′) – N/A
Sam Long (80′) – N/A
Oxford United travel to face Mansfield Town in League One as they look to extend their unbeaten streak to five games.
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Peter Kioso and Gatlin O’Donkor both received second yellow cards as Aaron Ramsey’s men survived a late onslaught from the Stags.
Luka Lynch’s first ever goal in professional football put Oxford ahead in the first half Michael Smith found a deserved Mansfield equaliser.
The hosts had Oxford pinned back in the opening stages, a shot from Nathan Moriah-Welsh getting blocked by teammate Jon Russell.
Mark Harris glanced a Louie Sibley free kick wide with his head in response, before a stretching Rhys Oates could not quite meet a lethal low ball in.
Mansfield kept pushing then, Michal Helik recovering to stop Smith in the box.
A first save from Jamie Cumming tipped the ball wide four minutes before Russell and Deji Oshilaja both saw efforts blocked.
Another Russell dig was held by the U’s goalkeeper as United weathered the storm.
With 34 minutes on the clock, Lynch showed his quality to cut inside and bend a perfect shot into the top left corner from the edge of the penalty area and put the Yellows ahead against the run of play.
The Stags hit back when Cameron Brannagan gave the ball away in his own box leading to Russell putting the ball over with time on his side.
Nigel Clough’s side kept up their pressure but could not find the net before the break.
The hosts picked up where they left off with a blocked effort from Stephen McLaughlin and a curling shot wide from Oates.
Substitute O’Donkor had a poke at goal saved as the U’s grew into the second half before Oates broke away but was stopped impressively by Peter Kioso in the box.
That is when the wheels began falling off, Kioso receiving a second yellow for an alleged dive in the box.
Frazer Blake-Tracy out a cross over the crossbar before the equaliser came, Smith bundling into the net after Cumming failed to deal with another cross.
It went from bad to worse then, O’Donkor seeing red after a clumsy slide challenge saw him also receive a second yellow.
Mansfield battered the Oxford box in the final few minutes, the U’s managing to hold out for what proved to be a valuable point.
Stags: L Roberts, Hewitt (Maris 80), Sweeney (Blake-Tracy 74), Russell (Hendry 74), Smith, Thompson, Oates, Moriah-Welsh (T Roberts 61), Oshilaja, Reed, Abbott (McLaughlin 46)
Yellows: Cumming, Kioso, Brown, Helik, Spencer, Brannagan, Andrews, Sibley (O’Donkor 59), Lynch (Missanga 59), Harris (Currie 78), Dembele (Long 80)
Bookings: Moriah-Welsh, Russell; Kioso, O’Donkor
Red cards: Kioso, O’Donkor
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