Oxford Utd 1, Cheltenham Tn 0 (From Herald Series)
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Oxford Utd 1, Cheltenham Tn 0
5:12pm Tuesday 1st January 2013 in United News
By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458
OXFORD United's excellent festive form continued as Peter Leven's penalty was enough to beat high-flying Cheltenham Town.
Chris Wilder's men had shown some classy touches in beating Exeter City and AFC Wimbledon over Christmas, but this victory owed plenty to guts and determination.
Leven took his chance from the spot in the first half after Tom Craddock had been tripped, which put United in charge.
They had chances, particularly in the second half, to make the game safe, but with only a slender lead the defence had to work hard to keep Cheltenham out.
Jake Wright stood out in an excellent rearguard action which sealed a fourth straight win and extended their unbeaten run into double figures.
United made just one change to the starting line-up, with Michael Duberry named in the XI for the first time this season.
He came in for Michael Raynes, who dropped out of the squad altogether.
With the U's in good form and Cheltenham going into the game in the automatic promotion places, the game promised much.
But there was little fluent football in the first half, with both sides visibly struggling to get to grips with a difficult surface which was feeling the after-effects of the wet weather and Saturday's rugby match.
Alfie Potter picked up where he left off in Saturday's 3-0 win at AFC Wimbledon, stinging the palms of Robins goalkeeper Scott Brown with the first sight of goal early on.
There was little to choose between the sides, but United found a breakthrough on 16 minutes.
Sean Rigg slipped a ball into Craddock, whose heels were clipped by Sido Jombati in the area.
Leven, who had scored from the spot in both previous games against Cheltenham this season, had no problems beating Brown from 12 yards.
The next clear chance came midway through the half.
United fans prepared to let out an enormous cheer as Duberry collected Rigg's cross, but the veteran could only shoot wide amid an audible sigh of disappointment from the terraces.
Cheltenham's lofty position in the table owed much to an excellent home record and they again struggled to find top gear on their travels.
Mark Yates's side had plenty of possession before the break, but struggled to open up their hosts.
Jermaine McGlashan was their main threat, but the winger could not stretch U's goalkeeper Ryan Clarke with his best chance on 25 minutes after getting the better of Damian Batt.
Jake Wright made several important interceptions to snuff out promising attacks, while Luke O'Brien did well at left back.
At the other end United only threatened fleetingly. Their best opening for a second goal before the break came on 34 minutes, when Brown just beat Rigg to a Constable through ball.
United came closest to scoring early in the second half.
Constable latched on to a loose ball and set Potter free down the right. The winger's cross sparked panic in Cheltenham's defence, but they scrambled the ball to safety.
The visitors went on to enjoy a good spell, pinning United back for several minutes.
A host of crosses rained down on Clarke's penalty area, but again Town could not forge a clear chance.
As they pushed forward in search of an equaliser, spaces began to open up.
Midway through the half Potter engineered a chance for himself, beating his man in the box but he placed a shot wide.
Substitute Josh Parker came close shortly after coming on. The new signing did well to cut in from the flank, only to blaze wildly over.
The lack of a second goal made United vulnerable and they rode their luck at times.
Substitute Shaun Harrad fizzed a shot from range just over and Billy Jones curled a free-kick wide in quick succession.
It ensured a nail-biting climax and hearts were in mouths in stoppage time when the ball fell to McGlashan, but the winger steered a shot over under pressure from Clarke.
But United deserved their clean sheet and saw out time to claim a hard-fought victory.
Comments(24)
cleverswindler
says...
6:48pm Tue 1 Jan 13
BigAlBiker
says...
7:00pm Tue 1 Jan 13
Onwards and upwards.
35 year fan
says...
7:19pm Tue 1 Jan 13
another great result, now fingers crossed for a miracle and the FA actually watching the video of the beano red card properly.
oldun
says...
7:33pm Tue 1 Jan 13
oldun
says...
7:33pm Tue 1 Jan 13
roy burton's tights
says...
8:14pm Tue 1 Jan 13
ps do not reply with the tired old cliche of other managers in this league get promotion with no money as all the teams who went up last year were in excellent financial position. COYY
oldun
says...
9:40pm Tue 1 Jan 13
roy burton's tights wrote:other managers in this league get promotion with no money
old un what are you on about. Not the end of the world if we do not go up. We need to have the finances first to enable the team to progress and support a manager who is doing a great job with a club who turned a loss last season. No point going up and getting thrashed every week.So get off the manager's back and support the team.
ps do not reply with the tired old cliche of other managers in this league get promotion with no money as all the teams who went up last year were in excellent financial position. COYY
Magiltonmagic.
says...
10:01pm Tue 1 Jan 13
adlibber
says...
10:03pm Tue 1 Jan 13
dorsetyellows
says...
12:01am Wed 2 Jan 13
Also can we redesign the car park as following the hard fought draw against cheltenham most of the fans had decided to leave before showing the team their support for a true grit performance, A lap of honour must be a bit flat looking at empty seats .
dorsetyellows
says...
12:01am Wed 2 Jan 13
Also can we redesign the car park as following the hard fought draw against cheltenham most of the fans had decided to leave before showing the team their support for a true grit performance, A lap of honour must be a bit flat looking at empty seats .
oldun
says...
6:11am Wed 2 Jan 13
Magiltonmagic. wrote:How do you know that "no club would have coped with the injuries we've had " - just like my view - it is merely an opinion. Obviously "IF we achieve what every Oxford fan wants, promotion" - then I would get behind the manager - as long as it is at the end of this season.
Old un how do you know the finances of other clubs? No team in this league would have coped with the injuries we've had and IF we achieve what every Oxford fan wants, promotion,then we ALL need to get behind the manager, The players clearly are so why can't you doom mongers do the same?
Brenda Jackson
says...
7:15am Wed 2 Jan 13
3 league wins and clean sheets- great, but there needs to be a few more yet to repair the damage done earlier in the season.
We won yesterday while not playing that well, 'a sign of a good team' is a well worn cliche' but i'm to be convinced CW's team are good, yet.
A very interesting test comes this saturday in the FAC 3rd round at home to the Blades, put them to the sword (ho hoo) and even i might start to believe again!
Magiltonmagic.
says...
7:20am Wed 2 Jan 13
dorsetyellows
says...
8:06am Wed 2 Jan 13
YellowRose
says...
10:37am Wed 2 Jan 13
Doctor69
says...
1:18pm Wed 2 Jan 13
Lets hope they can keep it up!
COYY
rankandfile
says...
1:48pm Wed 2 Jan 13
forget the moaners' get behind the team were on our way up come on you yellows
Brenda Jackson
says...
2:02pm Wed 2 Jan 13
rankandfile wrote:''Forget the moaners'' The ones who had good reason to 'moan' you mean?
its got to be a lucky omen we are up to 13 in the league in the year of 2013 forget the moaners' get behind the team were on our way up come on you yellows
Supporters have been voting with their feet, even some season ticket holders not attending, just how bad does it have to get before 'moaners' get listened to?
Like many i care for the Club i support, but when it's apparent things are going down the plughole- i feel it my perogative to 'moan' - i pays me money after all.
Others take another view, and no matter how bad accept it, they are called 'losers' i believe.
winger whitley
says...
3:29pm Wed 2 Jan 13
oldun
says...
3:38pm Wed 2 Jan 13
winger whitley wrote:"Lacking in any real insight" - a tad patronising, perhaps
There's a big difference between constructive criticism and moaning. The bulk of those against Wilder are whingers, well meaning but lacking in any real insight. What can't be argued with is the fact that this is the first period, that goes way back into last season where injuries aren't an issue. The results tend to confirm this fact.
adlibber
says...
6:46pm Wed 2 Jan 13
winger whitley wrote:your talking rubbish - Defend Wilder all you want but the from last seasons pathetic limping out of play offs to the 6 defeats on the bounce this season can't all be blamed on injuries. Wilder is tactically naive, has signed several poor loanees and has no plan B. We're riding our luck and long may it continue but should this mini run stop and we return to a string of defeats Wilder has no excuses any more. Injuries happen to plenty of other clubs Wilder has simply relied on this to cover his inadequacies. If you think Wilder is doing a grand job I think you insight needs to be questioned. If we get promoted this year I'll doff my cap to your wisdom - if we don't I expect Wilder to be relieved of his job.
There's a big difference between constructive criticism and moaning. The bulk of those against Wilder are whingers, well meaning but lacking in any real insight. What can't be argued with is the fact that this is the first period, that goes way back into last season where injuries aren't an issue. The results tend to confirm this fact.
oldun
says...
7:00pm Wed 2 Jan 13
adlibber wrote:hear , hear!
winger whitley wrote:your talking rubbish - Defend Wilder all you want but the from last seasons pathetic limping out of play offs to the 6 defeats on the bounce this season can't all be blamed on injuries. Wilder is tactically naive, has signed several poor loanees and has no plan B. We're riding our luck and long may it continue but should this mini run stop and we return to a string of defeats Wilder has no excuses any more. Injuries happen to plenty of other clubs Wilder has simply relied on this to cover his inadequacies. If you think Wilder is doing a grand job I think you insight needs to be questioned. If we get promoted this year I'll doff my cap to your wisdom - if we don't I expect Wilder to be relieved of his job.
There's a big difference between constructive criticism and moaning. The bulk of those against Wilder are whingers, well meaning but lacking in any real insight. What can't be argued with is the fact that this is the first period, that goes way back into last season where injuries aren't an issue. The results tend to confirm this fact.
oldun says...
5:16pm Tue 1 Jan 13