NATHAN BAXTER…8
Wanderers equalled a club record for successive clean sheets, and while he rightly says it was a team effort, those two saves in the first half were something special.
GETHIN JONES…7.
Didn’t seem to be able to breathe on Edwards without him crashing to the floor but kept his head and pushed forward more in the second half.
RICARDO SANTOS…7.5.
Gave very little change as Oxford continually tried to take him on physically. Had plenty of possession in what was a chess game, at times.
EOIN TOAL…7.
Like Jones, had to cope with a fair bit of frustration, but held firm and did more with the ball after the break. One great clearance in the second half.
JOSH DACRES-COGLEY…7.
Got into some great areas and should probably have had a goal or an assist to his name. Works particularly well with Maghoma.
PARIS MAGHOMA…7.
Not quite as magical as he has been recently but still the player who looked most likely to create something out of nothing.
JOSH SHEEHAN…7.
Grew into the game and was desperately unlucky with one shot that looked destined for the bottom corner.
GEORGE THOMASON…7.
Produced a superb pass to create Charles’s best chance and broke up play all over the pitch. Clearly not on the referee’s Christmas card list, though.
JACK IREDALE…6.5.
Might well have been a matchwinner, as more chances dropped his way than anyone else in the second half.
DION CHARLES…6.5.
Buzzed around, the way he does, and never let the Oxford defence settle. He will be gutted that his big chance did not end up in the back of the net, though.
VICTOR ADEBOYEJO…6.5.
Worked hard, often with back to goal, and tried to link up play. Maybe lacked a touch of composure at times but never let his head go down.
Subs: Bodvarsson 6.5, 67 (for Adeboyejo), Dempsey 77 (for Maghoma), Nlundulu 85 (for Charles) Not used: Mendes Gomes, Coleman, Forrester, Morley, Dempsey.
Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Beadle; Stevens, Moore, Thorniley, Brown; McGuane, Branagan; Mills, Edwards, Bodin; Harris.
Subs: Goodrham 46 (for Edwards), Murphy 67 (for Bodin), Negru 77 (for Mills), O’Donkor 77 (for Harris).
Not used: Eastwood, McEachran, Rodriguez.
Referee: Sam Purkiss 5/10 – Unbelievably fussy in the first half, which did more to disrupt Wanderers than anything else. Did settle down, thankfully.
Attendance: 8,099
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
