Oxford victorious in five goal thriller
THE BLUES FOOTBALLERS were going into yesterday's first BUSA match at home to Loughborough on a high after defeating the Amateur Football Alliance (AFA) in a friendly last week, writes Rob Devey.
Oxford triumphed 3-2, thanks to strikes from Deji Davies, sub Thierry Richards and an own-goal.
But although he was pleased to have got off to a winning start, captain Steve Rishworth was disappointed with the defensive errors which saw his side concede two second half goals.
He said: "Overall I was happy, because that was the first time we have played together.
"But it was disappointing to let in such sloppy goals, and really we should have won 3-0."
The team included two freshers who both put in promising performances. The exotic sounding Osman Akkaya (actually from Croydon) operated on the left of a three-man central midfield, while Mike Adamson played in the middle of a three-man back-line.
The Blues will be without both of last season's goalkeepers, Nick Rutter and Matt Fletcher this season, and used the match to try out two of their potential replacements. American Tom Casarella started the match, but was replaced by Damian Taylor at half-time. Both performed well, with Taylor making several impressive reflex saves.
OXFORD (5-3-2): Casarella, Adamson, Redmayne, Ross, Costello, Addley, Studin, Stevenson, Akkaya, Davies, Durnford
Rishworth was relieved that his team came through the game with no fresh injury worries ahead of the showdown with Loughborough. The Blues should also be boosted by the return of last season's captain Will Spencer to the defence.
But Rishworth, who is on Wrexham's books, will not play himself until the New Year, after undergoing a successful operation on his injured knee last month.
Deji Davies captained the side in the match against AFA, but Rishworth indicated that he would give other players the chance to lead the team out.
Oxford will also be without Matt Hendra, whose dramatic last-minute winner secured victory in the Varsity match last March. The influential midfielder is unavailable until January, whilst working towards his PGCE.
The Blues will be competing this season in the Midland rather than South-East section of the preliminary BUSA group stages.
In addition to Wednesday's opponents Loughborough, they will face home and away matches against Nottingham, Bedford (part of de Montford University), Northampton and Birmingham. Rishworth believes his side's transferral to the Midland grouping will prove beneficial.
He said: "The change can only be a good thing for us.
"Our away trips will now be a lot shorter, whereas last season we had to face long treks down south, to places as far away as Plymouth.
"We will also now be up against much stronger sides, which can only be of benefit.
"It will be more competitive and we have to be playing these sort of games if we are to improve, " he added.
Rishworth identified Bedford as the team he expects to be the main danger.
"Loughborough, Birmingham and Nottingham will all be strong sides because they are all large universities," he said.
"But Bedford could well be the strongest team.
"They had three players in the English universities side last season, and will be a real threat," he added.
The Blues will travel to Cardiff for a friendly this coming Saturday, before returning to BUSA action at Nottingham next Wednesday.
19th Oct 2000