Cheltenham Tn 2, Oxford Utd 1

9:46pm Tuesday 18th September 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

A LATE penalty from Peter Leven failed to halt Oxford United 's losing streak as Cheltenham Town claimed maximum points.

Well-taken goals in each half from Darren Carter and Shaun Harrad were enough for the hosts to inflict a fourth successive league defeat on Chris Wilder 's side.

The visitors' performance was an improvement on the 4-0 defeat to Burton Albion last weekend, but it was not enough to halt their slide and Leven's goal was just a consolation.

Lee Cox made a welcome return in midfield after recovering from a groin injury.

There were two other changes to the starting line-up from Saturday, with Jon-Paul Pittman and Tom Craddock coming into the side.

Daniel Boateng, Alfie Potter and Sean Rigg all made way as the U's returned to 4-3-3.

The visitors did not look like a side struggling for form early on.

There was a good tempo in their play and the forwards had clearly been told to shoot on sight.

But on 13 minutes they suffered a setback, with Pittman suffering an injury while shooting. Potter replaced him.

There was little to choose between the sides and United's shooting policy almost paid dividends on 16 minutes.

Cheltenham goalkeeper Scott Brown saw Adam Chapman's low shot late and only just kept it out.

Smalley and Craddock also had long range efforts saved by the Robins' stopper in an encouraging opening 25 minutes.

At the other end apart from one header which Harrad sent wide, United looked more secure defensively.

But just before the half hour mark, they fell behind.

Jermaine McGlashan's searing pace took him past Tony Capaldi and Jake Wright out wide. The winger's cross just cleared Chris Zebroski, but Billy Jones collected the ball and set up Carter, whose 25-yard shot flew into the corner of the net.

It was the latest terrific strike to go in against the U's, but the midfielder was given time and space to pick his spot.

The visitors took the game to Cheltenham up to half time, without a great deal of conviction in the final third.

Their best chance came four minutes after the restart.

Chapman's low free-kick struck the upright and when the rebound fell to Craddock with the goal gaping, the striker blazed over.

Cheltenham almost rubbed salt in the wound within two minutes, when Clarke needed to make a superb stop to parry Marlon Pack's firm header.

It was a rare foray forward for the hosts as United enjoyed a good start to the half.

But once again they conceded out of nothing.

Damian Batt gave the ball away to Harrad, who turned and smashed a shot high into the net from 20 yards.

Wilder responded by bringing on Peter Leven for his first appearance of the season, along with James Constable .

With time ticking away it looked a forlorn hope, but with ten minutes remaining the two substitutes gave them a lifeline.

The referee spotted Constable being held by Alan Bennett in the area and Leven slammed home the resulting penalty.

It set up a tense finale as the U's pushed for an equaliser.

Chapman grazed the crossbar with one shot, while Smalley stung Brown's fingertips with another effort.

But Cheltenham held firm to claim the points, and increase the pressure on United.

Comments(23)

karatavuk says...
9:53pm Tue 18 Sep 12

4 defeats is a disgrace, Wilder must go

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Brenda Jackson says...
9:55pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Can we now Officially 'panic' Mr Wilder?

Or do you suggest we wait until your team loses another match, or two?

It's a results game, and the results you have produced are losing four league matches in a row, do the honorable thing
and go, Coventry or wherever.

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oldun says...
10:01pm Tue 18 Sep 12

12 (ie half) of the clubs in this *** division have been in the division above at some time since 2008 . Our loyal but long suffering fans have not watched us in the 'heady heights' of the third tier since 2000-2001 . The only eight clubs which have not been at that level for a longer period than us (if ever in some cases ) are Fleetwood, Barnet, Accrington , Barnet, Wimbledon, Aldershot , Burton and York - (unlike us) many of them getting nose bleeds at this level. Stop this misery IL

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northampton yellow says...
10:15pm Tue 18 Sep 12

come on lenegan its time to change this horror show new blood is urgently needed

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wend says...
10:28pm Tue 18 Sep 12

I think "oldun" is doing a disservice to the players who play in this division. It is not a **** division and all the clubs in it are there because that is the standard they are playing at. Teams who win more matches get promoted and teams at the bottom get relegated. Oxford are obviously quite a good club but at the moment they're not the best hence their lowly placing. It's way too early in the season to be dismissing any of the clubs' chances of promotion. When Oxford's injury list has improved then I'm sure they will move up the table once they start winning more matches. Please show more respect to the clubs and players of this and the other divisions in the league

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MoronOxy says...
10:36pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Ignoring the opening fixtures, we have gone from Top, to 3rd, to 6th, to 11th and tonight to 16th in six matches. Not too much longer before we get to Barnet's level of consistency. But it is early days. Onwards and downwards sorry upwards. Oh, and happy birthday to John Aldridge today. Those were the days my friends, we thought they'd never end................

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oldun says...
10:50pm Tue 18 Sep 12

I am merely stating that many clubs with much much much smaller crowds have been in the division above much much more recently than us - and that our fans are long suffering - of course it is our poor results which have kept us at this level

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foxvox says...
11:15pm Tue 18 Sep 12

I repeat ... we've lost every half Heslop has played in except the two he's been taken off, and we've drawn them. He is a luxury we can't afford. Start the defenders defending and stop using wing backs who crowd out the wingers, get Constable and Craddock playing down the middle and not on the wings. The wings are full of pretty play with no purpose and there's nobody in the middle. When was the last time we scored by an incisive strike by a winger putting the ball in for a centre forward to score? For goodness sake Wilder have a plan B, just a plan, any plan would do.

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Beau champ mummy says...
5:56am Wed 19 Sep 12

Went to game we were simply dreadful no tactics except the usual kick and rush taxi for everyone sucking ur club dry

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adlibber says...
6:09am Wed 19 Sep 12

'it was dark and my players couldn't see the ball - I think Cheltenham players had special contact lenses in so they had a clear and unfair advantage'

'I think the players suffered from the long trip to Gloucestershire, travelling through the night in a cattle truck does unsettle you'

'I just don't get it there's one horizontal post that rests on two vertical ones this supports a big hole with a net at the back and teams unfairly kick the ball in our hole more times than we do in theirs. The Football League need to look into this disparity'

Just pre empting Wilder's excuses later today.

Oh and dear Oxford Mail it would be good if you explained why you delete inoffensive posts that call for a manager to depart using perfectly good reasons for his departure.

Thanks

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AylesburyOx says...
6:33am Wed 19 Sep 12

Another woeful performance based on the theory that as Wilder can trust none of our players then the players should not trust each other - net result 11 people playing for themselves rather than any sort of team.

Wilder you must go.

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Chish and Fips says...
8:51am Wed 19 Sep 12

Think on the positive side - you lot did not let in 4 goals and you managed to score a goal even if it was a penalty. All is not lost ....

Have a good week you lot.

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dave from witney says...
9:02am Wed 19 Sep 12

It's not just recent games, if you add in the last ten matches from the end of last season we are well and truly awful. I could not see Wilder going before last night's game, but I am afraid that now the time is right. If IL does not act now, Saturday's low crowd will really convince him.

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Malcy69 says...
9:07am Wed 19 Sep 12

Plane and simply, CHRIS WILDER OUT

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irish bantam says...
9:21am Wed 19 Sep 12

oh dear bradford next !!!

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BigCrompy says...
10:17am Wed 19 Sep 12

Chish and Fips wrote:
Think on the positive side - you lot did not let in 4 goals and you managed to score a goal even if it was a penalty. All is not lost ....

Have a good week you lot.
Further positives - we don't live in the town the atomic bomb was tested in, and we've never been over-familiar with either farmyard animals or family members.

It's certainly getting bad over in civilisation though, I'll grant you that. I'm tipping that things are so bad that at the moment, Swindling is about the only team we WOULD beat (four times in a row).

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BigOx22 says...
10:22am Wed 19 Sep 12

Well last night is making me say for the first time WILDER OUT! We are shocking at the moment. Hes-slop needs to be dropped he is not good enough. Play 4-4-2 a simple formation that alot of teams use and they play it well. Don't keep working the wings and crossing the ball in. When was the last time we scored from a header? We never score from corners, never play a decent throw in. Complete waste of time. Would do better fielding the youth team at the moment! I'm sure Ty Marsh couldn't do any worse then we are doing at the moment!

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WindsorYellow says...
10:39am Wed 19 Sep 12

So glad I didn't get a season ticket this year. I for one, didn't get duped into buying one. quick enough to take your money. And we get really poor results!!!! Good bye Mr wilder

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BigOx22 says...
10:51am Wed 19 Sep 12

WindsorYellow wrote:
So glad I didn't get a season ticket this year. I for one, didn't get duped into buying one. quick enough to take your money. And we get really poor results!!!! Good bye Mr wilder
I am quite lucky that my ex has paid for my season ticket still so its a free season for me but it is a load of rubbish! IL needs to sort it out!

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northampton yellow says...
12:32pm Wed 19 Sep 12

its time to start voting with our feets to make lenegan do anything

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foxvox says...
2:28pm Wed 19 Sep 12

BigOx22 wrote:
Well last night is making me say for the first time WILDER OUT! We are shocking at the moment. Hes-slop needs to be dropped he is not good enough. Play 4-4-2 a simple formation that alot of teams use and they play it well. Don't keep working the wings and crossing the ball in. When was the last time we scored from a header? We never score from corners, never play a decent throw in. Complete waste of time. Would do better fielding the youth team at the moment! I'm sure Ty Marsh couldn't do any worse then we are doing at the moment!
Spot on!

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OUFC 4 EVA says...
4:21pm Wed 19 Sep 12

Chish and Fips wrote:
Think on the positive side - you lot did not let in 4 goals and you managed to score a goal even if it was a penalty. All is not lost .... Have a good week you lot.
Oh no fishy wishy has been let of her leash again! When will hubby wubby learn he can't leave you home alone otherwise you slack off the housework and just comment on your beloved Oxford! Come on fishy wishy admit you're a yellow at heart!

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Lord Palmerstone says...
10:40pm Fri 21 Sep 12

England no longer a nation of shopkeepers but , infinitely more boring, a nation of football narcolepts. Wake up one day good fellahs and you might just notice that football is a version of senile dementia which allows the toads in Westminster to kick you around

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