Home Match Day Thread 05/12/2020 L1 OUFC v Hull City

[McXal]

What a wonderful, positive experience that game was. Well done to all in attendance. The positivity and outright happiness just to be there was just surreal. The applause and ovation as the lads just came to warm up was spine-chilling

Also worth pointing out that, from my view in the East Stand, social distancing and mask use rules were flawlessly followed (aside from a few of the stewards in truth, who didn’t seem as keen on wearing their face coverings correctly!). I felt safer, and have had FAR fewer people anywhere near me attending a football match than I would at the supermarket or on the school run. I’m thrilled the pilot was deemed a success and we can move towards the Tier 2 Max 2000 at least by Northampton (if not FGR).

Our first half was excellent. The goal was great, but our guts, endeavour, movement and attacking ambition were all excellent. We did fade in the second half, but they are a top team at this level with crazy amounts talent that can’t even get in the starting eleven - and for the most part I felt we defended really well and kept them at arms length. Atkinson will be a huge crowd favourite when we’re back in bigger numbers. Ruffs and Obita were superb managing Wilks in the second half.

So much to be pleased and proud about if you’re an Oxford fan tonight. But the table doesn’t lie and it looks ominous. The festive period is massive for us. String some results together and we could actually pull well into midtable. Fail to take many points and we’ll be staring a real relegation slog in the face...

 

[BD Yellow]

Well done and a big thanks to everyone involved in getting the fans safely into and out of the ground.

The game was so much better than watching on ifollow. I am certain the players responded to having fans back in. Overall pleased with the performance and the result. You could see the Hull players getting more into the game in the second half, but credit to Oxford keeping at bay for over an hour.

The officials got most thing right, but I thought Hull got better of the 50/50 calls. I dont see how we get yellow cards when Hull stop our play with similar fouls.

Good to be back at the matches, but as others has said it was freezing cold. Hope this performance can lead to better results in future games.

 

[Manorlounger]

Mention of the stewards reminded me that at half time I commented to the stand manager that the hand dryers in the gents were not working. He was genuinely concerned and with another steward figured out which switch would get power to them and that was that. The ladies, according to Mrs Lounger was in the same predicament.
It's the sort of thing that should be taken care of before the fans arrive but overall, the stewards couldn't have been more friendly and helpful.

 

[Oufcad30]

Glad to be back there, first half i thought we was excellent.
Have warmed up now and I've missed that feeling! Lol

 

[Steve McAvoy]

Congrats to our young defence on the last two games. We should build from this for the future. Sam Long has been the glue that holds the defence together, should be team captain.Him and Ruffs can take the relentless criticism on here (‘not good enough for Championship, not good enough going forwards, not quick enough yadda, yadda’). We have something to build on after Robbo made a decision on Stevens.

 

[carefreeoufc]

Good result considering recent performances. Second half seems to let us down at the moment which is a strange feeling after having such a successful few seasons of being a team that can get a result in the final minutes. Hopefully we can string together a solid few games now.

 

[Northstandboy]

Mention of the stewards reminded me that at half time I commented to the stand manager that the hand dryers in the gents were not working. He was genuinely concerned and with another steward figured out which switch would get power to them and that was that. The ladies, according to Mrs Lounger was in the same predicament.
It's the sort of thing that should be taken care of before the fans arrive but overall, the stewards couldn't have been more friendly and helpful.

We had hand sanitizer outside the toilets, much cleaner than using cold water in the toilet sinks!

 

[Blox21]

Watched on iFollow and thought a draw was a fair result , just wanted to say a big well done to the 1000 fans who turned up and also put a shift in !

 

[Browny]

I liked the position Jack Stephens took when we were in position. He was far out of his area and almost brought himself into play as an option if a pass was not on

Overall a.decent performance against a team that had won 11 of 14 before that. We pressed so week in the 1st half and while we seemed to fade slightly we still looked well in the game

Truly something to build on and actually a decent return from a.tiugh run if games (that one apart)

 

[West Oxon U’s]

 

[holdsteady]

I had forgot how cold sitting at football in winter is, I work outside and it doesn’t bother me but the cold gets inside you sat there for that long.

Still it was great to be back, a bit surreal as I am sat on my own in a mask but I enjoyed it, after so long away it was a very welcome change.

I thought we played well for 75% of the game, done enough to deserve the draw but when we are not at our best in a game we don’t seem to have the best game management and let it get away from us.

Still look like are at least heading in the right direction, just need to work hard and hopefully we can stay up.

 

[Oufcrealist]

That was much much better!! We'll pick up points if we can play like that. Just need to create a bit more. Atkinson Long McGuane and Gorrin were the pick. Good finish by Henry but the rest of his game is still below where it should be. Stevens done well apart from a few poor kicks but I did like the one from his hands to try to catch them on the break, Eastwood never does that.
Keep it up lads!!

 

[Eaststanding]

Very well organised and engaging stewards made this experience enjoyable, I didn’t see or hear anything to deter me from going again during restrictions. The quality of our football at times was as good as last season and so pleased to see MCGuane finding pre season form and bonding with Obita in particular, as others have said, you see so much more watching live, especially N’Golo Gorrin who covered every inch of grass.
Having heard SK after the game I’ve no doubt the players were driven on by the crowd and I think the spacing / seating arrangement helped amplify the noise.
The only downside, or was it a saving grace, was the two seconds where my glasses steamed up just as Gorrin launched himself at their player for his booking...

 

[Ian]

Match day thread at 95 pages!

Why is this match thread so short?

 

[Northstandboy]

Match day thread at 95 pages!

Got a link?

 

[werthersoriginal]

Why is this match thread so short?

The whingers haven’t got anything to whinge about! You can argue about this and that but it was a proper performance against a team who I’m sure will go up

 

[UTM]

Why is this match thread so short?

Tbh , I was thinking the same thing , when the game was on the numbers was low ! Maybe everyone was at the game that posts on here ? Lol

 

[bicesterox]

I thought that was a really good game of football for this league, end to end stuff, 2 good goals, a fair result, pity I had to watch on ifollow but at least I was warm
Ref was a bit eager on the whistle at times for both teams but enjoyed all except conceding

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

Mellow and kip are to busy getting on it celebrating a good performance with champers and scotch eggs to post on here !!!

 

[AbsoluteZero]

After last weekend Ipswich and Hull were exactly what we needed, stubborn defensiveness being hard to beat and create a base to build from. Good gritty performances getting draws, shame we couldn't have converted one into a win but at the moment we can't be too greedy. The next step is just to add a bit of creativity to the solid defence and hopefully this can be added over the next few games. Bit worrying that we are still finishing games weakly though, last season we brilliant at the end of games and no team was as fit as ours but a few months on it is quite the opposite. Can't help but feel that we are not using Taylor to his strengths, maybe a 4-4-2 with Clare at RM Obita LM and Agyei or McGuane up front supporting Taylor, giving more threat going forward whilst protecting the full backs, like the 1996 team with Massey, Moody, Smith and Gray did. But probably won't see it with KR being fixated with this 4-3-2-1 formation.

Good to be back at the game, view from my allocated seat nowhere near as good as my usual one but it will have to do, at least I got to see a game again. I have come to realise how important having away fans are, the banter between the supporters really does liven it up and the tribal rivalry when they are not there is much missed. They have had 9 months to clean the toilets but haven't with torn up paper from old ticket stubs and other rubbish in the urinals, you would have thought a bit of basic hygiene in the place that needs the most cleaning could have been done at a time when the whole world is going on about cleanliness. Otherwise the matchday management seemed to go pretty well, and it was a joy getting out of the car park for once. Felt cold though when it actually wasn't that cold really, body will need a few more matches to get used to being frozen for 3 hours at a time again.