Football League Youth Alliance

South West Conference

Saturday 19th February 2022

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.01

Oxford United U18 3 Portsmouth U18 0, attendance 23

24’ 1-0

57’ 2-0

69’ 3-0

@ The Oxford Sports Park

Oxford United Training Centre

Horspath Road

Oxford

OX4 2RR

No Admission or Programme.

It was back on 30th October 1993 that I saw Oxford United U18 last play a home match. Oddly, it was also against Portsmouth, a 3-2 win in a South East Counties Youth League Cup 2nd Round match, which was played at Brasenose College Sports Ground. Today was a chance to see them at their new training facility, which was officially opened on 18th December 2019.

Today’s match was the final league game of the season, as 5th hosted 3rd in the South West Conference table. Oxford needed a win to guarantee a top five finish, which would advance them into the Merit League, where they play against the top five teams from the South East Conference.

Three hours of heavy rain were forecast for Oxford from 11 o’clock onwards, but at least it meant the game was likely to go ahead, although not guaranteed to finish. A couple of minutes before kick off it duly arrived and it was very unpleasant trying to watch the game in near horizontal rain and a biting wind. The only plus point was that it was coming into our backs, blowing diagonally across the pitch.

Oxford led 1-0 at the break, courtesy of a left footed shot that the ’keeper was unable to keep out, despite getting two hands to it. They added two second half goals, a 20 yarder that gave the ’keeper no chance, then a brilliant 25 yarder curled into the top corner, both of which were wind assisted. They deserved the win though and if it wasn’t for a number of good saves by the Portsmouth ’keeper, the winning margin would have been far greater.