The easiest victory we’ve had since Halifax at Minchery about 5 years ago. Possibly even easier than that as we only began to overwhelm the Shaymen when they started having players sent off.
Northwich were the poorest side I’ve seen for a very long time. The occasional neat bit of football when we gave them plenty of space in midfield, but no organisation and method, poor defensively and other than the goal just long range shooting which didn’t cause Turley much alarm. We’d heard that they were a big physical side but I didn’t really notice this. Perhaps that’s cos our boys are so fit now.
At times we played some real quality football and if it hadn’t been for a bit of sloppiness and taking our foot off the old gas we could probably have increase our goal difference still further.
Some real quality goals – Duffy chested the ball down with aplomb and finished like a quality striker for his goal. And you don’t see a dummy like the one Burgess sold for Johnson’s goal in the Conference every day. Basham getting off the mark too, Yemi rounding the keeper for his and a good finish from Pettifer. Smashing stuff, but it won’t be anything like this on Monday.
Hargreaves impressed me today. He seemed to have presence and played some good simple passes – the sort that are needed to keep possession.
Difficult to be critical – but if nit picking needs to be done here goes. Gilly started badly, with miskicks and misplaced passes but soon got back to his high level of performance. Anaclet, is often our main outlet for taking the game to them but as the match goes on he seemed to lose the ball more and more. (Noticeable in all the games imo). He was however instrumental in the Johnson goal.
Victorious
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Sideshow Rob
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Agree with your point on Ancelet. I think he would be more effective as a right sided midfielder / winger but Smith would obviously need to bring in a right back to cover. I wonder if he is re-thinking his priorities now that Yemi, Bash and Duffy are scoring and he is having problems persuading forwards to drop down to the Conference? He has effively only three days now to do a deal.
Also pleasing was Willmott's performance for his first competitive game. Distribution was on the whole excellent and he certainly went into challenges with conviction.
Only real downside (and small at that)was Hutchinson's booking although I felt it was a tad harsh considering how many warnings the ref kept giving Northwich before he started booking them (actually sensible refereeing in my book). He just didn't seem to give Eddie H any warning and IMHO the challenge didn't warrant a booking (unless for persistent misconduct) although it was a foul.
In fairness to the ref (I thought he was going to be picky as hell after the first 10 mins) he had a decent game.
Only real downside (and small at that)was Hutchinson's booking although I felt it was a tad harsh considering how many warnings the ref kept giving Northwich before he started booking them (actually sensible refereeing in my book). He just didn't seem to give Eddie H any warning and IMHO the challenge didn't warrant a booking (unless for persistent misconduct) although it was a foul.
In fairness to the ref (I thought he was going to be picky as hell after the first 10 mins) he had a decent game.
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Matt D
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i also thought hargreaves did very well. we'd just been talking about how well willmott had slotted back in, when i thought he didn't deal well with the attack that led to the vic's goal. but i did think northwich looked better going forward than i'd expected - able to move the ball forward quickly, and they had some lively men up front, so i was pleased to see our defence largely untroubled.
but how great was it to see oxford really putting an opposition penalty area under siege, and scoring five quality goals? very, very impressed by duffy's play and work ethic, but i suspect he stands out for me because my expectations were pretty low for him.
i was out on a stag night in leeds the night before, and my sanity had been questioned by a number of people when i said i was planning to be back in oxford for the game. but i wouldn't have missed it for anything. one of the most despicable chants in football is that terrible 'easy, easy' chant. but i guess there are occasions it's appropriate.
but how great was it to see oxford really putting an opposition penalty area under siege, and scoring five quality goals? very, very impressed by duffy's play and work ethic, but i suspect he stands out for me because my expectations were pretty low for him.
i was out on a stag night in leeds the night before, and my sanity had been questioned by a number of people when i said i was planning to be back in oxford for the game. but i wouldn't have missed it for anything. one of the most despicable chants in football is that terrible 'easy, easy' chant. but i guess there are occasions it's appropriate.