Oxford Utd 3-0 Wycombe Wanderers

First of all, GET IN THERE!!!!!

To say I was nervous prior to kick off was an understatement. We arrived at the Kassam and went for a few beers at the Holiday Inn to calm the nerves. 

On this gloriously hot sunny day it was a sell-out, and the atmosphere was building nicely as kick off grew closer, with the long queue to the turnstile breaking into singsong as they waited.

It was quite simple. Win and we would be automatically promoted to League One. A draw could see us up, but that would depend on Accrington Stanley and Bristol Rovers’ results, we didn’t want to depend on others.

The team would be buoyed by the last victory away to Carlisle (see previous match report), and by the fantastic atmosphere inside the stadium.

There were a couple of changes to the starting line-up today; Josh Ruffels was in his unnatural position of left-back at the expense of Joe Skarz after his injury returned. This meant John Lundstram was welcomed back to central midfield to partner Liam Sercombe.

While up front, Kemar Roofe was deemed fit after last week’s injury to replace an unlucky Callum O’Dowda. 

As the players walked out of the tunnel a display of diagonal yellow and blue greeted them in the East Stand, lit up by the intense sunlight. With the electric buzz surrounding us, I just knew that today was to be our day. 

The early spells suggested that this was to be a tight game. Danny Hylton fashioned an early chance and narrowly shot passed the keeper’s right post, while Chris Maguire’s free kick only just eluded the same post.

Wycombe posed no threat up top and were set on frustrating us through timewasting. In particular, left-back Sido Jombati seemed to love taking his time at throw-ins. 

Word was getting around that Dagenham & Redbridge were beating Bristol Rovers 1-0 and chants of ‘one nil to the Dagenham’ erupted across the ground! Good stuff, but Rovers equalised five minutes later…

As the timewasting continued, the frustration was growing in the stands. On the pitch, however, the player’s remained calm and played well. The chances continued to flow all off-target, but we knew that if we continued like this, we would get our reward in the second half.

Somehow only one minute was added on at half-time despite the disruption Wycombe’s timewasting techniques caused. Both Rovers and Stanley were drawing at half-time which eased the tense atmosphere.

As the game restarted, Ruffels looked totally at ease at left-back, and a driving run forced an Oxford corner. My brother, who shall now be known as ‘Mystic Joe’, said just before it was whipped in “Dunkley will head this in” …and that is exactly what happened. Maguire’s ball was beautifully whipped into the danger zone, and Chey Dunkley’s perfectly timed run meant he powered the header passed the keeper.

Cue pandemonium. The player’s passionately sprinted to the corner of the East Stand and bundled over each other, the fans went wild. It was a goal that will be heard in Bristol and Lancashire.

I was delighted for Dunkley. He couldn’t get a game before the turn of the year, and when he did he didn’t look too convincing. But the transformation after some minutes under his belt has been truly remarkable. He is now a first choice centre back, someone we know will win all the aerial battles, and as he just showed: will score goals too – that was his fourth this season.

The goal released a lot of tension. The chants began to flow with more belief that we were going to do it, and Wycombe had stopped timewasting. HAHA!

Maguire fizzed another freekick just passed the post shortly after the goal. United were in full swing now and looked like scoring another. Maguire was having a fantastic game, he seemed to light up the attack every time he received the ball, what Roofe had been doing for most of the season.

And it was that man Roofe that forced a penalty in the 70th minute. Clumsily barged over in the penalty area by the Wycombe centre-back as he ran with the ball through the box. Maguire stepped up to calmly convert the penalty like he had done last week.

That was the goal that sealed promotion for Oxford. There was to be no way back for Wycombe now; we never let two goal leads slip. As the stadium was in jubilation, I looked over to the open-ended 'fence end' where some were stood on top of a van because they did not have a ticket - all of which were now swinging their shirts above their heads jumping around - hilarious.

Hylton, MacDonald and Roofe all left the arena to standing ovations. On came O'Dowda, Jordan Bowery and George Waring. I would like to have seen James Roberts brought on instead of Waring because the young lad has been through so much this year, but mainly because Waring is not very good (to be kind). It will probably be the big man's last game for us as he returns to Stoke after his loan spell.

Five minutes were added on and chants of 'We are going up' rang around a now noucning Kassam Stadium. O'Dowda showed great pace in the last minute to get round the once timewasting Jombati, before tripping in the box, getting back up, and cooly slotting past the goalkeeper.

It was party time at the Kassam. The fans began to line the edge of the pitch despite the announcer over the tanoy repeatedly telling us not to pitch invade.

But that was it. PROMOTION! We had done it! We ran onto the pitch euphoric, everyone so relieved and exhausted from the season that had just been. Roofe stayed on the pitch the longest to be embraced by the fans.

Elsewhere, Accrington had surprisingly drawn 0-0 (the first time they have failed to score at home all season), and Bristol Rovers had scored a last minute winner to beat Dagenham 2-1. This meant Rovers were to finish third, us second. Whilst Stanley must go from the play offs despite starting the day in second. I feel so sorry for Accrington - they have the smallest budget in football league and promotion for them will be up there with Leicester winning the Premier League in my opinion.

As we returned to our seats the player's came out for a lap of honour. TV crews and photographers surrounding them, I felt immensly proud of our team. We deserved this.

As we drove home, Michael Appleton said we had been the best footballing team in the division, despite finishing second. He is right, we played far more games than Northampton (or frankly anyone in all four divisions) and everywhere we have gone the opposition have applauded our style. This tyle is testimony to Appleton and his backroom staff, I have never seen us play this well in my lifetime.

The performance of the player's today was fantastic. They rose to the occassion and played their normal game, unnerved by the antics of Wycombe.

Ruffels was outstanding today. And tribute must be paid to Kenny at right-back, who is consistently performing for us. He may return to Everton over the summer, but he will be remembered fondly here. But Maguire was man of the match today, his determination and desire to get promotion was amazing to see, he looked comfortable on the ball and had the skills to beat any defender today.

An incredible season. Beating Brentford 4-0 in the League Cup, beating Swindon in the JPT, overcoming higher league opponents to make the JPT final, beating Swansea 3-2 in the FA Cup shock of the season, and today. It's a season that will live long in the memory.

I can't wait for League One.

THE U'S ARE GOING UP!!!!!!!!!! 


-Michael