Grounds staff across Oxford were forced into a host of cancellations as inclement weather wreaked havoc with 1st week sport. In college football, just three matches went ahead as planned, as frozen pitches proved unmanageable even for the most battle-hardened of players.
Among the fixtures called off was Jesusâs Third Division clash with Univ, and with the hosts unable to realistically challenge runaway leaders Hertford for promotion, Jesus captain Ryan Loeffen-Gallagher was disappointed that the OxStuâs planned coverage of the match could not materialise. Loeffen-Gallagherâs programme notes had referred to Jesusâs reputation as âwizards of the semi-driven mid-range volleyâ, a claim that we are unfortunately not currently able to verify.
In the weekâs shock result, Brasenose defeated Division One leaders New 1-0 thanks to a late Alex Gordon-Weeks strike. While Brasenose moved level on points with Balliol and Teddy Hall, New courted controversy with an ill-judged reaction to Blues forward Sam Donaldâs booking for simulation. An official New College FC tweet described the refereeâs decision to award the yellow card as the âbiggest miscarriage of justiceâ since Mark Clattenburg failed to spot that Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll had spilled a shot from Tottenhamâs Pedro Mendes over the goal-line back in 2005.
Elsewhere on the Twittersphere, Netherlands international cricketer Izzy Westbury last week described the OxStu as âOxfordâs best student newspaperâŚ#qualityâ, with particular reference to the Sport section. Receiving such glowing praise from a sportsperson of Westburyâs renown was a moment of great pride for OxStu Sport; letâs hope for more of the same!
