Blues footballers edged out in Varsity
Oxford............................0
Cambridge.....................1
Football is supposedly the national game, but there was scant evidence at Craven Cottage to suggest that anyone at Oxford could care less about it. While thousands upon thousands of people gathered on the banks of the Thames to catch a glimpse of a pair of rowing boats, Oxford and Cambridge competed for the Varsity bragging rights prize in front of a meagre crowd, which seemed to treat the match as a mere prelude to the Boat Race.
Whether the throngs gathering in London could not afford the entrance fee, or were not sufficiently enthused with football to wake up in time is unclear. What is more certain is that most of the two thousand people who watched the 122nd Varsity Football encounter wished they had spent an extra couple of hours in bed. The game was a cagey affair, lacking in quality, and providing few moments of excitement to lift the gloom over central London.
Indeed, one of the most memorable highlights was the rousing chorus of “Stand up if you hate the Tabs” that rang out from the Oxford contingent during a lull in play. So tepid was the game that notorious Premiership referee Steve Bennett - who days earlier had overseen the Champions League quarter-final between Barcelona and Benfica - did not even issue a single yellow card.
It was fitting then, that the game was decided by the scrappiest of goals, gifted to Cambridge by some atrocious defending late in the second half. Over the 90 minutes, Cambridge probably deserved their victory, but the manner and timing of the goal was hard on Oxford. The Dark Blue players looked suitably forlorn at the final whistle, none more so than captain Jack Hazzard - one of those at fault for Cambridge’s goal.
The match began quietly, with both sets of players understandably nervous, and perhaps a little underwhelmed by the atmosphere inside the stadium. With the pitch wet from the relentless rain, both sides struggled to pass the ball effectively, and created few chances. Cambridge began the brighter of the two teams, but could muster no more than a couple of shots from ambitious range in the opening forays.
Oxford gradually came into the game, with skilful left-winger Lawrence Burns posing their greatest threat. Cambridge remained dangerous on the break however, and one lightning counter attack brought an excellent save out of standin keeper Nick Baker. Cambridge, inspired by their captain Alex Mugan took control towards the end of the first period, and Baker produced two more outstanding saves from Mikey Adams to ensure parity remained at half time.
The second half opened to a torrential downpour, and the deadlock remained unthreatened for long periods. Paul Kalizewski looked dangerous up front for Oxford, and his strike-partner Vince Vitale had a couple of half-chances, but failed to test the Cambridge keeper. Both sides were guilty of sacrificing possession too much, and few chances were created during the second period.
The game looked to be drifting towards stalemate until disaster struck for Oxford: The Dark Blue defence failed to deal with an innocuous long ball forward, Hazzard and Aaron Barkhouse leaving it to each other to clear. With Baker stranded off his line, Richard Payne stole in for Cambridge and converted the easiest of chances, lifting the ball into an empty net. The calamity left Oxford ten minutes to find an equaliser, but they were unable to sustain any pressure on the Cambridge goal.
In the dying seconds of the match, substitute Miguel Hall struck a rasping low volley, only for Cambridge shot-stopper Tom Savill to pull off a sensational save low to his right. It was to be Oxford’s best effort of the game, but it came too late; Cambridge held the trophy aloft, and Oxford were left to wonder what might have been.
20th Apr 2006