ALLIEDS MATCH REPORTS 2006-07
 

OXFORD CITY YOUTH 3  NORTHWOOD YOUTH 1

The omens before this game were not good: resources were severely depleted and the lads hadn’t played for 3 weeks.  Although the Woods were in the game for long periods, the lads played well below their capabilities, and in truth, they didn’t look like they wanted it nearly enough.

The first 15 minutes were a nightmare and Northwood conceded an opener in the 6^th minute from a cross-come-shot from the left. For the next 10 minutes after that Woods likely to concede more goals as Oxford dominated.

After that initial period the lads did get their game together and dominated the rest of the half.  On 24 minutes a mazy run from Chris White on the left ended with a fine low cross, which was only just scrambled away.  A minute later and a neat one-two between Ben Trout and Shane O’Neill allowed the latter to play Jack Bennett in on the left hand side. The goalkeeper saved smartly to stop a fine cross shot.

Ten minutes later and Woods gained parity. A surging run from O’Neill released debutant Toby Bryan through the centre, and he coolly finished past the advancing keeper.

Northwood pushed on and probably deserved a second before disaster stuck a minute before half time.  The ball was lost in the centre circle, and with the defence horribly caught out, Oxford were able to score an easy second.

The lads went in to the break dejected and in truth they were hard to lift for the second half. 

On 65 minutes Scott Purdue replaced the tiring Bryan, but the second half saw Oxford gradually assume the ascendancy, although on 74 minutes Northwood thought they had equalised again. Ben Trout slipped in behind the defence and appeared to finish neatly from 18 yards, but to everyone’s dismay the ball hit the inside of the post and agonisingly came out the wrong way to be grabbed by a grateful goalkeeper.

The game was effectively over in the 81st minute when Oxford scored a neat goal after a period of increasing pressure.

The Woods’ team have so much ability and so much to play for in the two remaining cup competitions, but they need to re-discover their desire very quickly if the season is not to slip away from them. We shall see if they do so.

NIGEL TROUT