Saturday 26th August 2006

Oxford United 5 v 1 Vics  

The major concerns that had been highlighted in the previous two matches around defensive weaknesses were emphatically underlined today as Vics crashed to their third consecutive defeat. Surprisingly Steve Burr appeared to opt for an adventurous 4-3-3 formation against promotion favourites Oxford, naming former Grimsby and Scunthorpe midfielder Terry Barwick amongst the substitutes.

Immediately the home side set about exploiting the available space down the flanks and the impressive Anaclet surged forward to produce a cross that caused mayhem in the heart of the Vics defence. A back pedalling Senior was forced to carry a Quinn cross over the line to concede a corner from which Basham had a header hurriedly cleared from the face of goal.  Wingback Anaclet, already wallowing in the space afforded him, surged forward to deliver another teasing cross that a vulnerable Vics defence struggled to clear and only a spectacular save from Senior prevented Basham from scoring from an edge of the box shot.

Vics tried to rally but Allan could only scuff a Battersby cross high and wide. And so it came as little surprise when the home team took the lead.  Sloppy play on the right from the once again disappointing Townson gifted possession to Oxford and from the resultant cross an unmarked and unchallenged DUFFY was left to score with a left foot shot into the far corner. To their credit Vics responded with spirit and Elliott had a 25-yard shot turned around the post by Turley. Yet, despite enjoying a short period of superior possession, it was Oxford that carved out the better openings and Senior again did well to keep out a Burgess shot before Johnson marauded down the left to set up Burgess but his point blank effort was again turned away by Senior.  A more recognisable flowing Vics move that included the hard working Elliott and Allan ended with Brayson having a shot palmed wide. Sadly however, any hopes of a Vics comeback were shattered on the stroke of half time when indecision between Charnock and Gallimore allowed the home side to win an unnecessary corner and from the kick Basham claimed a free header across the face of goal leaving PETTEFER to convert as a static Vics defence no more than looked on.  

Two minutes into the second half and things simply got worse. Burgess rose unchallenged to take an opportunity of playing head tennis with BASHAM and the latter scored from 6 yards with neither keeper nor Griffiths making any significant intervention.

Again Vics tried to rally and Carr and then Brayson tried their luck from 20 yards. New signing Barwick and Payne replaced Townson and Byrne as Burr switched to a 5-31 formation, but to all too little effect. Johnson continued to revel in his space down the left and set up Basham who ought to have done better than shoot directly at Senior and then the wingback again surged forward to set up Burgess to all too easily skip past Payne but his final shot lacked direction.

 It was clear that a fourth goal was not going to be too long in coming and similar freedom on the opposing flank allowed Anaclet to cut inside of Gallimore with embarrassing ease to square a pass across the face of goal that found his fellow wingback JOHNSON and he fired high into the net. Basham could have added a fifth after a clever turn but just failed to find the target before Vics eventually gained a scant degree of consolation.  Momentarily Jonny Allan showed the power and confidence we had become accustomed to and drove forward to get beyond the Oxford defence and with Turley coming from his area he cleverly squared a pass to BRAYSON to score into an unguarded net. This only provided temporary consolation and with 8 minutes remaining the alarming lack of mobility and pace in the current Vics defence was again exposed when a chase for a ball over the top of a pedestrian Vics rearguard was won easily by ODUBADE and he left all in his wake to complete what had become a rout.  

Attendance: 5,364 (159 visitors)

Man of the Match: Stuart Elliott