We went into today's fourth round tie with a lot more pressure on us than in the previous round. Overcoming Swansea was impressive; and the victory entailed an expectation from many that we could easily beat a team in a lesser position than the Swans.
Blackburn's star striker, Jordan Rhodes had travelled up to Middlesbrough amid a move to the North East, which came as a welcome relief to our defence.
This was to be George Baldock's final game for Oxford. The right-back has been recalled by parent club MK Dons to the misery of fans. He has been a revelation for us, I've seen some right-backs in my 12 years as season ticket holder, and he is the best so far, no question about it.
As the match got underway at a full house Kassam Stadium, something felt different. The fans were quieter than usual and the players looked somewhat subdued in the opening stages.
John Lundstram was marked from the off by Rovers' new signing, Tony Watt. The new signing from Celtic prevented the playmaker from spreading the play so successfully as in previous outings. A shrewd move from manager Paul Lambert, who's game plan was clear.
Up front, Jordan Bowery's home debut was miserable in the opening stages, he seemed to lack match fitness. The Rovers centre backs were, in fairness, pretty solid. Every aerial challenge was won and they quelled any Oxford attacks.
With the teams equally uninspiring, it was a foolish push by left-back Joe Skarz which prompted the first talking point of the match on half an hour. The push brought a penalty, which Blackburn's New Zealand international, Ben Marshall confidently dispatched.
You got the feeling that Oxford needed to act, and act quick. A period of frustration followed the penalty, before the debutant Watt scored to kill the tie just before half time. A curved shot from the corner of the box into the opposite bottom corner was the dreaded sucker punch.
It was a first half we hadn't seen this season. Blackburn had come here with a game-plan and for 45 minutes they'd executed it superbly. We would have been able to pass around teams in League Two, but today we looked devoid of finding that killer blow.
A penalty shout early in the second half was as good as it got for us. Bowery was thankfully taken off on the hour, replaced by Danny Hylton. Hylton also failed to make an impact, as he had for a few months, quite different to the workhorse at the start of the season whom terrorised defenders.
Kemar Roofe, our recent hero, was also on the peripheries today, showing maybe he can't cope with the physicality of the bigger boys.
Jake Wright's foul on Simeon Jackson on the edge of the area was debatable. What was also debatable was the wall's desire from the resulting free-kick. Marshall grabbed his second of the game bending the ball over the wall into the lower corner of the net. A jump from the wall would surely have prevented this goal from a set piece specialist.
That was game over for Oxford. It was also game over (for now) for Baldock's Oxford career. Appleton substituted him so he could get the standing ovation he deserved. Despite only being here a year, his playing style and attitude meant he was a fan favourite. It was a standing ovation rarely observed by fans at the Kassam, and as his 'wingman', Alex MacDonald hugged him off the pitch, there went a defender you felt was on to bigger and better things, yet disappointed to leave the U's.
The Full Time whistle meant there was to be no more 'we're going to win all three' chant (a personal favourite of mine). This cup run has been fantastic, today was my first ever experience of the FA Cup fourth round, and I may forget it quickly. But over the last few Cup games, Oxford United may have convinced a lot of part-time fans to maybe invest in Oxford's future.
That Swansea game will live long, very long in the memory.
We will put today behind us and hopefully make some important signings before the transfer window shuts on February 1st. Chris Maguire, who starred vs Swansea will hopefully return from Rotherham.
Onto the JPT area final second leg next vs Millwall.. Wembley is on the horizon!
-Michael
No comments:
Post a Comment