PREVIEW Oxford United v Plymouth Argyle

A full guide to Saturday's Sky Bet League 1 game

16 February 2018

Oxford United welcome Plymouth Argyle to Grenoble Road on Saturday.

TEAM NEWS

The U's should have Jon Obika available again as they look to get back to winning ways. The striker limped off during the 3-2 win at Charlton two weeks ago after feeling a hamstring tighten up but has been back in training this week and is expected to be part of the squad.

Cameron Brannagan could also be involved for the first time since joining from Liverpool. The midfielder rolled an ankle in training in his first week of training but has trained all week and caretaker boss Derek Fazackerley told iFollow that Brannagan will come into his plans either this weekend or the following week when United travel to Northampton Town.

See Faz discussing all the latest injury news as well as previewing the game, all in iFollow right now.

Our supporters can help us by getting behind the players and encouraging them. They have done that ever since I have been at this football club and hopefully they can do it again this Saturday and give us that extra little bit to help us get that win we need.

Derek Fazackerley

TICKETS

Tickets are on sale online at www.oufctickets.co.uk 24/7 and from the ticket office in person and by phone (01865 337533).

With the away end sold out you need to be on the OUFC Ticket Database to buy tickets in the home areas. If you have bought tickets to support the U's, home or away, since 2001, including the two recent trips to Wembley then you should be on the database, but if you are in doubt then please buy in advance to avoid any problems on the day.

Our ticket office staff are happy to help: call 01865 337533

Plymouth Preview

Faz's View

The Quiz

The Programme

The Taylor Report

THE PROGRAMME

The award winning matchday programme features the thoughts of Niall McWilliams, Derek Fazackerley and former Plymouth captain Curtis Nelson plus a great interview with Isaac Buckley-Ricketts. We also go On the Road to Charlton and we have news and views from all areas of the club. Remember, you can always read the programme on your phone, tablet or laptop. Each issue is available at matchdayfix.com/oufc/

FOLLOW IT LIVE

iFollow has the whole game live - hear it if you are in the UK, see it if abroad. You can sign up game by game or for the whole season, and we have full 90 minute reruns of every game.

@OUFCOfficial will be tweeting throughout the game and the match centre on this site gives you full stats and text commentary throughout the match.

The official report goes live with a full gallery right here on the final whistle.

HALF TIME

The JT's Golden Ticket half time draw offers a first prize of up to £750. Second prize is a £100 voucher for the Oxford United club shop, while third prize is a VIP package at JT’s Cocktail Bar.

Look out too for the Racehut Challenge at half time.

GUEST OF HONOUR

We are delighted to have a true Manor legend back with us tomorrow when Paul Simpson joins us in the restaurant. One of the best wingers ever to play for the club, Simmo is now a World Cup winner after guiding the England under 20 side to success. Make him welcome as he comes home to the U's.

GETTING HERE

Parking

East Stand car park - this will open to supporters at midday
A car park steward will count vehicles in and the car park will be closed when it is full.
Another car park steward will direct drivers to a bay to ensure spaces are filled up systematically; drivers are no longer allowed to park outside of the marked bays.
A tweet will go out from @OUFCOfficial to update supporters when the car park is full to allow them to make alternative arrangements.
The Rapid Expansion Barrier will be behind the North Stand and deployed as required. Elderly fans and those with mobility issues should talk to a supervising steward (orange coat).

Additional parking is available on Grenoble Road and in Sandford on Thames.

CLUB SHOP

The club shop has a kit sale now on with home and goalkeeping tops reduced and great bargains in all sizes but be quick: once they are gone they are gone. Call in before or after the game or visit oufcshop.co.uk

FAMILY ROOM

The Family Room is open to young fans from all stands. There are games and activities for all ages plus visits from first team players. Join the fun in the corner of the East and North stands from 1.30pm.

Match Reports

REPORT: Oxford United 0 Plymouth Argyle 1

U's lose out to Argyle. Full-time report

17 February 2018

Oxford United were beaten by a single first-half goal by Sonny Bradley this afternoon as Plymouth made it five wins in a row with a 1-0 victory at Grenoble Road.

Having fallen behind right on half time, the U's gave it everything after the break but couldn't find a way past the visiting defence despite plenty of possession and no little commitment.

United started well, with Alex Mowatt probing from a deeper midfield role and Jon Obika linking things together on his return to the front line. With wide men Isaac Buckley-Ricketts and Joe Rothwell given license to drift infield, United looked mobile and bright; James Henry almost found the opener with a deflected effort after 22 minutes that visiting keeper Remi Matthews did well to push away.

Much of Argyle’s threat came through the ever-dangerous Graham Carey who almost broke the deadlock after 23 minutes with a poked effort that a combination of Simon Eastwood and skipper John Mousinho helped past the left-hand post.

United then had the clearest chance of the lot after 24 minutes when Todd Kane, always looking to join the attack, cut the ball back but Mowatt could only chip over the bar on the half volley from 12 yards out. There were plenty of other chances though: Ashley Smith-Brown didn’t connect with another effort on the half hour after an exceptional slaloming run from Rothwell, Buckley-Ricketts nodded a cross wide on 32 and Rothwell curled a 25-yard effort just too close to the keeper as United built up pressure. Unfortunately, in getting the shot away the influential Rothwell also pulled up lame with a hamstring problem and was forced off, Brazilian Ricardinho the replacement on the left of midfield.

United had done well in their approach play but you need to convert chances and having failed to do so they were caught by a sucker punch right on half time. It was the simplest of goals as well. Corner on the right, allowed to travel to the back post and Sonny Bradley in space to head powerfully past the stranded Simon Eastwood to give Argyle a valuable lead at the break.

Ricardinho and Buckley-Ricketts dragged early efforts wide in the second half before an extraordinary passage of play saw Ricardinho's initial cross fly an inch too high for the desperately climbing Henry, the return cross similarly too high for Obika and the final effort from Ricardinho flashing just wide of the post.

The more that United pressed at one end, the more vulnerable they became when a clever and disciplined Plymouth side broke. Former Oxford man Ryan Taylor clipped an effort against the bar after an hour and Kane needed to clear a Carey effort off the line after 65 minutes after Taylor had once again stretched United's backline.

Gino van Kessel and Malachi Napa were given half an hour to try and find a way back into the game - the former making an instant impression with a bit of pace and some direct running at goal and the latter adding width and energy on the left as United went for broke. There were half chances: Obika not connecting cleanly with a header after 68 minutes, Napa's volley on 75 deflected wide and the home fans roaring their team towards them in a spirited second-half effort.

Napa and Obika had strikes blocked by defenders within seconds of each other, crosses and corners flew across the box and van Kessel drilled a 30 yarder wide on 88 as the visitors gave up any pretence of trying to extend their lead, dropping deeper and successfully withstanding the late pressure.

A much-improved performance from the Yellows but ultimately another home defeat.

Att: 8,301

Away:1,802

Report by Chris Williams, pictures by Steve Daniels, stats by OPTA

See all the action and reaction in iFollow

Match Reports

Ticket News

Plymouth Game Becomes Database Only

Argyle game is an away sell out

8 February 2018

Oxford United's home game against Plymouth Argyle on 17th February will once again see a full away end, with Plymouth selling out their allocation of tickets.

It's the second home game in a row where the away end will be sold out and again means that Oxford fans need to be on the ticket database to buy tickets in the home areas.

We want as many United fans as possible to come along and get behind the U’s and create a fantastic backdrop to the game, but due to the away end selling out we have to ensure that only true Oxford fans are in the home areas.

This should be no problem for the majority of fans:

if you have been to a home or away game since 2001 then your name should be on the database
if you have been to either of the last two Wembley games, then your name should already be on our database

IF IN DOUBT CALL 01865 337533 TO CHECK DURING THE WEEK

We urge fans to book early to avoid any problems on the day.

Just visit www.oufctickets.co.uk or call 01865 337533 to book your seat for this game.

Standings

Plymouth Preview

Faz's View

The Quiz

The Programme

The Taylor Report