Saturday 29th March 2008
Oxford 0
Vics 1 (Steele 10)

Both teams came to the game on the back of a good run of results, Oxford having won their last three games.
And all the early signs were of a keenly contested game. Green had an early effort swerve wide and the game was just 11 minutes old when an horrendous error by keeper Billy Turley presented Vics with an opening goal. The Oxford keeper came to collect an innocuous loose ball inside his box but allowed the ball to squirm from his grasp leaving STEELE to roll the ball into an empty net.

Former Vics midfielder Phil Trainer ought to have done better than shoot wide after being set up by Richards. Murray did well on the right and Trainer latched onto his low cross and looked on for a goal until Connett got down to smother at the second attempt.

With conditions deteriating, a strong swirling wind and heavy rain, it made any creativity from both sides difficult and the game became increasingly scrappy.
Oxford made two substitutions at the break, Blackwood and McAllister replacing Hand and Richards. But it was Vics who looked the more assured and only a good save down to his left by Turley prevented Ryan Brown from adding a second. Trainer was once again off target from 20 yards before Oxford were controversially reduced to ten men when Luke Foster was dismissed for a second bookable defence.

Vics were relieved that York failed to capitalise after Connett had raced from his area but failed to execute a clearance. Otherwise Vics showed professional composure and restricted Oxford to the occasional attempt on goal that ended with Connett only needing to keep out a single shot on goal from Howard.

At the other end Steele was unable to convert a half chance and his header landed the wrong side of goal following a crafted three man build up. Even with five minutes stoppage time added on Connett remained redundant leaving 116 Vics fans to travel back home with huge smiles on their faces.

Team: 3-5-2
Welch, Belle, Roberts /
Mullan, Crowell, Byrom, Byrne (Carr 76), R. Brown /
Stamp (D. Brown 81), Steele (Burns 89) /
Subs not used: Meadowcroft & Horrocks
Referee: P. Hill
Attend: 4,673 (116 Vics fans)
Man of the Match: Mark Welch