Marsh nets first goal before United bow out in shoot-out

From the Rage Online newsdesk Wednesday, January 9th, 2013  

Oxford United 3 Southend United 3 (Southend won 5-3 on penalties)

George Dugdale

Oxford United’s JPT run came to an end as Southend United proved the cooler from the spot after a highly entertaining draw.

Barry Corr gave the visitors a lead, but goals from Tyrone Marsh and Tom Craddock gave United a half-time lead. Sean Clohessy and another Corr effort turned the game around once more, before Sean Rigg’s late leveller forced a shoot-out.

Michael Duberry and Peter Leven were rested as Michael Raynes and Tony Capaldi returned to the team. Justin Richards was cup-tied so youth team graduate Marsh was given a home début alongside Tom Craddock.

United started the game slowly and were behind early on. Jake Wright was adjudged to have fouled Corr outside the penalty area and the big striker was on the end of the cross to head into the corner of Ryan Clarke’s net.

The hosts grew into the game and found a response before the clock had reached the quarter hour mark. Alfie Potter wriggled past the challenge of Chris Barker and crossed for Rigg to head goalwards. Paul Smith was down smartly to save, but the ball bounced kindly for Marsh to nod home from close range. Marsh scored a cup goal at the stadium for the youth team last season and clearly enjoyed repeating the trick for his first senior goal.

The goal helped to turn the tide and United looked the better side after the leveller. Rigg curled narrowly over the bar before the men in yellow took the lead on the half hour mark.

Simon Heslop was alert as Craddock span his marker and lifted a lovely ball into the space between goalkeeper and defence. Smith was beaten to the ball by the Oxford striker and could only look on as the ball was lifted over his head. A defender chased back and hooked the ball clear, but the linesman on the far side ruled that the ball had crossed the line. From my one-night-only vantage point in the South Stand Upper it looked comfortably crossed the line. The man behind me exclaimed: “That’s in!”. Who are we to argue?

Marsh came agonisingly close to a second after his curling effort was pawed behind by a full-length Smith.

That chance shortly before half-time could have been decisive and Smith’s save looked all the more important as Southend drew level in the second half. Luke O’Brien left a defensive header horribly short and the energetic Clohessy burst past him to fire low into Clarke’s net.

Gavin Tomlin thumped a header against the bar a minute later and with Clohessy having the freedom of the right wing, the signs were ominous.

The turnaround of the turnaround was complete shortly before the hour as Tomlin teed up Corr to curl a fierce effort past Clarke.

Much of the game was taking place in the Oxford half, but Clohessy came close to putting through his own net after preventing Rigg’s cross from reaching the onrushing Marsh. The youngster was replaced by Josh Parker minutes later, but can be pleased with his work. The JPT run has given Marsh an opportunity to stake a claim and in that respect, the run has been very much worthwhile.

Craddock volleyed a Rigg cross over the bar before Harry Worley came off the bench to play as an emergency striker. The careful approach play was replaced with more direct methods and Parker put two splendid crosses between goalkeeper and defence as United piled on the pressure. One of these was put behind and Rigg was able to power Capaldi’s corner past Smith to level the scores.

Penalties were approaching and Paul Sturrock opted to replace Smith with Daniel Bentley. The original goalkeeper did not take the news particularly well and headed straight down the tunnel after making his displeasure clear with one of the slowest walks from the field you will ever see.

As Smith set about beating lumps out of the away dressing room (one assumes) his replacement unfortunately managed to do his own damage to United’s hopes of a revenge mission against Leyton Orient.

Rigg, Davis and Craddock were successful to match Southend’s opening three penalties, but Potter was unable to draw level with the fourth as Bentley flung himself to his right. Frequent Oxford irritant Elliot Benyon converted the final penalty to send Sturrock’s side through.

United’s cup runs are both over, but they have each had their enjoyable moments. The league is the only focus from this point onwards and Oxford will look to get a result at cup headline makers Bradford City at the weekend.

Attendance: 2,882

turned to the team. Justin Richards was cup-tied so youth team graduate Marsh was given a home d

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