Oxford United 0 Chesterfield 1 (Richards 5) (From Herald Series)
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Oxford United 0 Chesterfield 1 (Richards 5)
4:58pm Saturday 16th March 2013 in Sport
By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458
OXFORD United suffered a big blow to their play-off hopes as they were unable to make the most of their chances after conceding an early Marc Richards strike.
The in-form home side responded well from the early setback, but not for the first time this season were left ruing a lack of ruthlessness in the final third.
They controlled the game up to half time as Chesterfield hung on desperately at times.
Deane Smalley came closest to finding an equaliser as he went through on goal late in the half, only to see his shot saved.
But they were never able to exert the same pressure after the break and Chesterfield held on to claim all three points.
Liam Davis replaced Luke O'Brien in one of two changes to United's starting line-up.
Smalley came in to partner James Constable up front, so Alfie Potter switched to the right flank as Josh Parker dropped to the bench.
The U's were looking for a sixth win in eight games, but they found themselves behind after the first meaningful attack of the game.
On five minutes a ball into the box from Richard Brindley seemed to catch out the hosts' back four, allowing Richards to sweep a finish past Luke McCormick.
It stunned United, who took time to find a rhythm in their search for an equaliser.
Chesterfield goalkeeper Tommy Lee gave them a first glimmer of hope on 15 minutes by dropping a high cross from Sean Rigg.
Constable was just unable to take advantage, but it helped to get the U's going.
For the majority of the half hour leading up to the break Chesterfield were pinned back and looking to slow the game down as much as possible.
Midway through the half another Rigg cross caused problems. Potter had a header blocked and the ball fell to Smalley, who had three efforts smothered before the Spireites finally cleared their lines.
Smalley looked fired up against his former side and picked up a booking for hauling Nathan Smith off the pitch.
The full back appeared to be wasting time, but he was substituted before play restarted.
Barring a free-kick which Conor Townsend curled onto the roof of McCormick's net, it was one-way traffic in the lead up to the break.
Chesterfield defended well, but a clear-cut chance arrived in first-half stoppage time.
A diagonal ball from Scott Davies was misjudged by Neal Trotman. It fell for Smalley to face Lee one-on-one, but the goalkeeper blocked his powerful shot.
The first chance of the second half also fell to Smalley, who spun in the box and had a shot saved by Lee.
At the other end Jay O'Shea jinked past two challenges and bent a shot just past McCormick's left-hand post.
On the hour Tom Craddock was brought on, giving the U's a front four with Smalley and Potter on the flanks.
There was no disputing their attacking intentions, but all too often United were let down by their own impatience.
Several attacks broke down due to a hurried ball forward, rather than looking to build pressure as they had before the break.
It suited a Chesterfield side keen to soak up pressure and protect their lead.
When United did find a way through Lee, who was not tested enough in the second 45 minutes, held firm.
The goalkeeper did well to hang on to a low Craddock shot which flew through a crowded penalty area.
Harry Worley was thrown on as a makeshift striker in the closing stages, but unlike in United's midweek game against Barnet they could not find a breakthrough in stoppage time.
Oxford Utd: McCormick, Batt, Raynes (Worley 87), Wright, Davis, Potter, Whing, Davies, Rigg (Craddock 59), Constable, Smalley (Parker 77).
Unused subs: Brown, Duberry, Heslop, O'Brien.
Chesterfield: Lee, Brindley (Randall 90), Trotman, Cooper, Smith (Whitaker 27), Darikwa (Talbot 66), Hird, Togwell, Townsend, O'Shea, Richards.
Unused subs: Barrington, Clark, Henshaw, Lester.
Referee: Darren Bond.
Attendance: 6,003 (385 visitors).
Comments(34)
Joe1
says...
5:06pm Sat 16 Mar 13
dorsetyellows
says...
5:13pm Sat 16 Mar 13
WindsorYellow
says...
5:26pm Sat 16 Mar 13
Bathyellow
says...
5:55pm Sat 16 Mar 13
foxvox
says...
6:05pm Sat 16 Mar 13
senior supporter
says...
6:48pm Sat 16 Mar 13
Bathyellow
says...
7:05pm Sat 16 Mar 13
Richard Wickson
says...
7:50pm Sat 16 Mar 13
.......
35 year fan
says...
9:15pm Sat 16 Mar 13
stephen burrows
says...
10:47pm Sat 16 Mar 13
YellowLAD
says...
12:25am Sun 17 Mar 13
foxvox wrote:Wilder has a yearly rolling contract which means he would always need to be paid off a year in advance if we were to terminate his contract.
Westley hasn't got a job ... and Wilder probably won't have soon. Is his contract up in the Summer
CoopersChris
says...
11:20am Sun 17 Mar 13
Clearly, the whole stadium situation is a major problem, and, as long as we remain at the Kassam, is never going to be resolved to our benefit, however, putting that aside, a few observations on this season;
1. I cannot remember a single home game this season, that I would describe as "enjoyable"... even the games we've won have been by the odd goal, often after a poor performance.
2. I accept the pitch isnt great, but we've been hoofing the ball out of defence long before the egg chasers came to town, and many of our opponents seem to have been able to pass the ball, whilst we cant.
3. Listening to CW and some of the players comments after the games, I wonder if I've been to a different game altogether. They seem deluded in the extreme, believing that we've "dominated games" where we've clearly been 2nd best. If these guys cannot see the problems, then what hope do they have of fixing them??
4. In CW and his coaching staff, we appear to have little or no experience of forward play, so its little wonder our attacking play is so limited. Constable is constantly offside (and for godsake, stop standing in front of the oppo's keeper when he's kicking it... all it does is make you offside if we win the ball from the kick!) whilst the movement from the others - Smalley, Craddock, whoever, is very limited. Compare this to the problems posed by opposing strikeforce', and the difference is massive... its just a good job we have Jake Wright and quality keeper(s) or we'd have lost far more games.
5. I sit with a lifelong Oxford fan, but we've both already decided that, unless things change dramatically, we wont be renewing our tickets for next year, and, based on the comments of many around us, we wont be alone.
Not renewing my ticket isnt a question of loyalty - Forest will always be my #1 team, but I've been happy to support my adopted club, home and away, which, the crowds would suggest is more than many so called "Oxford Loyals" - but wont do so to be subjected to the dross that I've seen, week after week this year.
This summer needs to see major changes in Management and players, or I think crowds of 3500-4000 will become the norm for next season.
Keep either Clarke or McCormick, Liam Davies, Wright, Batt, Whing & Potter.... the rest should all go, along with CW and Co
Disappointed and frustrated.
foxvox
says...
11:56am Sun 17 Mar 13
YellowLAD wrote:So CW either has to be paid off or given a year's notice. I can see IL giving him a year's notice which means he'll get one more chance to get Oxford up. The problem is it gives him one more chance to waste money on players who just aren't up to it in this league.
foxvox wrote:Wilder has a yearly rolling contract which means he would always need to be paid off a year in advance if we were to terminate his contract.
Westley hasn't got a job ... and Wilder probably won't have soon. Is his contract up in the Summer
YellowLAD
says...
1:18pm Sun 17 Mar 13
foxvox wrote:I also have a sick feeling he'll still be at the helm next season! Underwhelmed would be the understatement of a lifetime
YellowLAD wrote:So CW either has to be paid off or given a year's notice. I can see IL giving him a year's notice which means he'll get one more chance to get Oxford up. The problem is it gives him one more chance to waste money on players who just aren't up to it in this league.
foxvox wrote:Wilder has a yearly rolling contract which means he would always need to be paid off a year in advance if we were to terminate his contract.
Westley hasn't got a job ... and Wilder probably won't have soon. Is his contract up in the Summer
Bathyellow
says...
2:09pm Sun 17 Mar 13
karatavuk
says...
4:57pm Sun 17 Mar 13
Sack Wilder now before it is too late!
Coyyellows
says...
5:23pm Sun 17 Mar 13
foxvox
says...
7:26pm Sun 17 Mar 13
The chanting and the conga in the second half of the Rotherham game was second to none. Fickle no, fed up yes.
BigAlBiker
says...
8:23pm Sun 17 Mar 13
Who do we blame, the players of course, but then again the manager signed them up.
Wilder out.
In_The_Nikon_Time
says...
8:37pm Sun 17 Mar 13
Coyyellows wrote:The fans play their part by handing over their hard earned wages every week to watch, if the team can only play when the whole ground is totally behind them says absolutely nothing positive about them. The fans do play their part by paying to watch. The players need to realise that at put in a full shift EVERY game.
35year fan , stage fright at home ? Are you for real ! What do you expect when our fans are the most fickle in the land ,! Some of our fans turn up on a sat waiting for the other team to score just so they can jump on the teams back and start giving the lads s**t ! Every time the majority have got behind the lads , swindon , luton , yeovil , northampton , big games , they have produced ! soooo the fans should play there part and do the sane every week just as the fans expect the players too ! Our fans think we have a divine right to be in league 1 or above just because of the fan base , stadium size etc ! Get real , league 2 , tuff league , a few big clubs , always challenging ! We're lucky to be here after our conference days just think that !
Richard Wickson
says...
9:00pm Sun 17 Mar 13
Coyyellows wrote:I am sure I drive 320 miles to barrack the team. You must be a strange one if you think that the fans want the team to fail, maybe the odd one or two are masochists but not 5000 or so. As regard to a divine right to be in Division 4, no club or team has and most of us dont expect to just turn up and win but the problem with the current squad is they appear to lack ambition to even stay at this level let alone rise a Division. They can turn
35year fan , stage fright at home ? Are you for real ! What do you expect when our fans are the most fickle in the land ,! Some of our fans turn up on a sat waiting for the other team to score just so they can jump on the teams back and start giving the lads s**t ! Every time the majority have got behind the lads , swindon , luton , yeovil , northampton , big games , they have produced ! soooo the fans should play there part and do the sane every week just as the fans expect the players too ! Our fans think we have a divine right to be in league 1 or above just because of the fan base , stadium size etc ! Get real , league 2 , tuff league , a few big clubs , always challenging ! We're lucky to be here after our conference days just think that !
Up and win games against top clubs but can't beat clubs at the same level as themselves, that would suggest they can be motivated when it suits them but find it hard to churn out results when they don't feel it's worth putting in a shift. Surely management need to rectify this situation. As regards to CWs contract, if indeed he is on a rolling contract then it could be a problem if IL decides to dispense with his services as I am sure he can't afford to pay a years salary for nothing, however it's a bit like affording to buy the ground, if we don't then we are in an impossible situation and will never improve either on the playing side or the financial side. But to do nothing and keep with the same old will have its effects too, the attendances will dwindle and the team will continue to fail meaning financial instability and relegation. Not an exciting prospect.
Mark the Printer
says...
9:04pm Sun 17 Mar 13
Mark the Printer - Wantage.
Richard Wickson
says...
9:10pm Sun 17 Mar 13
CoopersChris wrote:An excellent post, no negativity just pure facts, I admire the fact that you support a different team to your first love as you now live locally. Points 1,2,3,and4 are all absolutely spot on. The players are failing because the coaching is dreadfully poor, the pitch isn't good but the away teams don't find it as big a problem as the home team. The crowds will dwindle quite rapidly if there is no improvement, this isn't one of the cheaper grounds to view football and the fans will vote with their feet, I for one will seriously consider turning my ticket money over to Oxford City, at least they have a manager who tries, coaches who have an idea and players who have ambition, that I find appealing.
I've only been watching The U's regularly for the last 6 years or so, having moved to the area from Nottm, but have had a season ticket in the East Stand for the last 3 years, and probably been to 1/3 of away games (Inc places like Accrington, Morecambe, Plymouth & York)
Clearly, the whole stadium situation is a major problem, and, as long as we remain at the Kassam, is never going to be resolved to our benefit, however, putting that aside, a few observations on this season;
1. I cannot remember a single home game this season, that I would describe as "enjoyable"... even the games we've won have been by the odd goal, often after a poor performance.
2. I accept the pitch isnt great, but we've been hoofing the ball out of defence long before the egg chasers came to town, and many of our opponents seem to have been able to pass the ball, whilst we cant.
3. Listening to CW and some of the players comments after the games, I wonder if I've been to a different game altogether. They seem deluded in the extreme, believing that we've "dominated games" where we've clearly been 2nd best. If these guys cannot see the problems, then what hope do they have of fixing them??
4. In CW and his coaching staff, we appear to have little or no experience of forward play, so its little wonder our attacking play is so limited. Constable is constantly offside (and for godsake, stop standing in front of the oppo's keeper when he's kicking it... all it does is make you offside if we win the ball from the kick!) whilst the movement from the others - Smalley, Craddock, whoever, is very limited. Compare this to the problems posed by opposing strikeforce', and the difference is massive... its just a good job we have Jake Wright and quality keeper(s) or we'd have lost far more games.
5. I sit with a lifelong Oxford fan, but we've both already decided that, unless things change dramatically, we wont be renewing our tickets for next year, and, based on the comments of many around us, we wont be alone.
Not renewing my ticket isnt a question of loyalty - Forest will always be my #1 team, but I've been happy to support my adopted club, home and away, which, the crowds would suggest is more than many so called "Oxford Loyals" - but wont do so to be subjected to the dross that I've seen, week after week this year.
This summer needs to see major changes in Management and players, or I think crowds of 3500-4000 will become the norm for next season.
Keep either Clarke or McCormick, Liam Davies, Wright, Batt, Whing & Potter.... the rest should all go, along with CW and Co
Disappointed and frustrated.
BenkiuGuasu
says...
5:47am Mon 18 Mar 13
35 year fan
says...
8:33am Mon 18 Mar 13
Coyyellows wrote:look i have no time for fans who boo or shout at the players/manager during the game. they are not supporters and we would be better off without them. but all clubs have them not just us. players have to deal with it.
35year fan , stage fright at home ? Are you for real ! What do you expect when our fans are the most fickle in the land ,! Some of our fans turn up on a sat waiting for the other team to score just so they can jump on the teams back and start giving the lads s**t ! Every time the majority have got behind the lads , swindon , luton , yeovil , northampton , big games , they have produced ! soooo the fans should play there part and do the sane every week just as the fans expect the players too ! Our fans think we have a divine right to be in league 1 or above just because of the fan base , stadium size etc ! Get real , league 2 , tuff league , a few big clubs , always challenging ! We're lucky to be here after our conference days just think that !
bigchet
says...
10:24am Mon 18 Mar 13
Sid Snakey
says...
10:39am Mon 18 Mar 13
What a bizarre game of football. I'm scratching my head to work out how we lost. Chesterfield looked really edgy at the start of the match and I thought we would turn them over. And then they scored from what I think was their only chance of the first half.
The rest of the 2nd half was then attack vs defence, with Oxford being very close to scoring on numerous occasions.
Despite the fact that we were dominating, I was seriously worried at half time, because I have seen a lot of very poor 2nd half displays at the Kassam. Generally, I am supportive towards Chris Wilder but I do wonder what he says to them at half-time because in that 2nd half we were atrocious. It's the first time I've had my son nagging me to go home, because he had seen enough.
Sat as I was behind our left back, I have to say I don't know what Liam Davis was doing. He looked lazy, disinterested, unhappy and generally bored. I don't care what anyone says about the manager, Davis is a professional footballer who does a job we all can only dream of, and he is asked to perform for 90 minutes once or twice a week. I show more passion playing for my 5-a-side team.
Oh and the pitch - a tragedy for our fans who enjoy a passing game. So many passes didn't find the intended recipient. Players are instinctive, and it's hard to always remember to hit it harder than you would normally want to.
The play-offs are now beyond reach as far as I'm concerned, that was a match we should have won and you have to think that even if we got close to the top 7 again this season then we would probably bottle it.
Doctor69
says...
1:07pm Mon 18 Mar 13
Personally i cannot see us putting enough results together to get into the playoffs, and even if we did somehow manage to get into them, and then progress, i can only see one thing happening next season.
We dont have the money to survive in league 1. IL wont bankroll the club, and why should he?
Its a sad state for OUFC at the moment. The drain of the staduim is a huge issue, buying it would be a huge investment. I really dont know what the answer is.
I still belive a change in manager would help, and sooner the better so they can review current squad.
Very, very dispointing at the moment.
adlibber
says...
5:23pm Mon 18 Mar 13
Doctor69
says...
10:56pm Mon 18 Mar 13
Lots of people think IL should just pump money in, I don't really agree. Sure it would be great if he did invest and made a move for the stadium, but really, what's the point? It's not exactly a sound investment. To be fair to him he has put a fair amount in already.
I don't know the ins and outs of the kassam deal, but surely oufc have to take some responsibility as they agreed a deal which they are now tied into? Personally I think the only other viable solution is try and come to an arrangment with City and devolp court farm? The reported asking price for the kassam is too high, and the rent is crippling, we will never progress until this issue is addressed.
I'm hoping for a major clear out this summer, it's got to happen. If it dosent next season will see lower attendances again, and I hate to predict it, but a likely fight for survival. A change of manager, some new players and a better balanced squad could breath life back into the club and at least bring back the Saturday enjoyment factor.
YellowLAD
says...
11:37pm Mon 18 Mar 13
Mark the Printer wrote:It was a contract given to him by the previous incumbent and friend Mr Thomas. Time will tell ofcourse.
In response to yellow Ad, I don't think that statement about paying Chris Wilder 12 months up front to relieve him of his duties is quite correct.
Mark the Printer - Wantage.
Bathyellow
says...
5:30pm Tue 19 Mar 13
Bathyellow
says...
5:36pm Tue 19 Mar 13
Megastar07 says...
5:04pm Sat 16 Mar 13