PREVIEW Gillingham v Oxford United

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

17 January 2020

Oxford United head for Gillingham in Sky Bet League 1 on Saturday.

TEAM NEWS
United will wait on the fitness of Cameron Brannagan after a knee problem but welcome Jamie Hanson back into the squad after injury. The former Derby man has trained all week after a hamstring problem and comes back in to contention with James Henry out for another three weeks with a thigh strain.

Anthony Forde is well on the way to a return after a broken rib while Ben Woodburn and Malachi Napa continue to make progress.

See Karl Robinson previewing the game in iFollow right now where we have Sam Long as our guest in the Preview Show...

THE OPPOSITION
Gillingham are on a seven-game unbeaten run and Manager Steve Evans is eyeing up a play-off surge in the second half of the season

“We need to be coming out of this tough run of games in the mix," he said. "If we win on Saturday then we are right in it. If we could get near that top group, never mind in it, that would be outstanding from the players, who have to deliver, and the brilliant staff.

“My remit here was to not give the chairman sleepless nights towards the end of the season, thinking we need a couple of wins to stay up. If you measure it on that then I think we will do alright, but I came here thinking ‘can I do the impossible?’

The Gaffer

The Quiz

Last Time We Met

TICKETS
Tickets for the uncovered Brian Moore stand are no longer available online but are available in person and via the telephone until Friday 17th January 3pm.

You will be able to collect from the OUFC Ticket Office until 3pm on Friday 17th January. Any uncollected tickets will be sent to Gillingham for collection from the collection point on Priestfield Road from 2pm on Saturday.

ALL TICKETS INCREASE BY £2 ON THE DAY

Prices

Brian Moore Stand Uncovered Behind the goal

Adult	£20
Over 65	£16
Student with valid NUS card*	£6
Under 18	£6
Under 12	Free with a paying adult**

* with valid NUS card (must present on the day)

** all other Under 12 £6.00 please choose U18 online

Gordon Road Stand (Season Ticket Holders only) Covered on Side

Adult	£22
Over 65	£19
Student with valid NUS card*	£7
Under 18	£7
Under 12	Free with a paying adult**

Wheelchair users pay the Brian Moore Stand price, age related

LONDON ROAD CLUB

Depart Stadium 10:45 am

Adult Member £18
Adult Non Member £20
Under 18 Member £16
Under 18 Non Member £18

Visit oufctickets.co.uk or call 01865 337533 to book your place on the coaches.

Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult and no alcohol is allowed on the coaches.

FOLLOW IT LIVE
If you can't get to the game then you can still hear it LIVE in iFollow if you are in the UK or SEE the whole game if you are overseas. We have coverage on Twitter, Instagram and the Match Live on this site with a report and Gallery right here on the final whistle.

THE PLAYLIST
Want to get in the mood for the game? Then search for Oxford United Official on Spotify where we bring you a new playlist for every away journey, plus the dressing room playlist. The Playlist is available on Saturday morning and is always flexible: let us know on Twitter if you have any more to add to help get the Yellow Army in the mood as we head the Garden of England.

Match Previews

Match Reports

REPORT Gillingham 1 Oxford United 1

U's pegged back at Priestfield. Full time report

18 January 2020

Oxford United were pegged back by the Gills this afternoon as an Ollie Lee penalty cancelled out an excellent Tariqe Fosu opener.

That was possibly slightly harsh on the U's who also hit the woodwork in a fiery encounter at Priestfield, but a point at a Gillingham side now unbeaten in eight games may prove valuable when the final table comes around.

The home side saw new signing Jordan Roberts slide an early effort wide as they started well but they found United’s back line hard to break down and on 16 minutes the U’s were in front from the latest contender in the Fosu Goal of the Season. Shandon Baptiste challenged in the air and forced a defensive header that only reached Josh Ruffels, who fed Fosu. He bamboozled a defender, found half a yard of space and fired it ferociously into the far right of the net for yet another spectacular goal.

Even without Cameron Brannagan and Matty Taylor, both troubled by knee injuries, United had a good rhythm and tempo to their play and Nathan Holland headed a difficult chance wide soon after the goal as they enjoyed the bulk of the play, with the home side more direct and wary of over committing men against an away side who are excellent on the break.

There were long-range efforts from debutant Roberts and midfielder Stuart O’Keefe but not too much else to worry Simon Eastwood, while at the other end Mark Sykes was eased away from a clear header as Fosu crossed into a fantastic area just after the half hour, all of it played in front of late panto entertainment as Fosu and Mackie’s game management was questioned by a frustrated home crowd. I think they were reminding Jamie he was in Kent.

Meanwhile, back at the game, Sam Long flashed a header inches wide from a Baptiste cross just before the break and the first 15 minutes of the second half were ill-tempered but well-matched until on the hour Lee drew the home side level. It came after Brandon Hanlan had drawn a dangling leg from the otherwise excellent Alex Gorrin as he drove between two defenders inside the box. Ref Neil Hair took his time then pointed to the spot and Lee thumped it past Eastwood with a perfectly placed spot kick.

Gillingham had their tails up now and Dickie had to clear off the line from Hanlan as United stood firm but tormentor-in-chief Mackie was replaced by Dan Agyei and United now had extra pace, which almost paid off when Holland turned superbly on half way and then got onto the return pass from Fosu but saw his goalbound effort deflected over the bar by a sliding defender.

From the corner another goalbound effort, this time a header from the always dangerous Ruffels, flicked off another defender and crashed against the bar with keeper Bonham on a different page and with his feet planted*.

United had been stung by the equaliser and began to gamble on grabbing all three points rather than settle for one. The influential Sykes saw a cross blocked with men waiting and Marcus Browne was given 15 minutes to conjure a win as the U's switched to a 4-2-3-1 shape for the closing stages. He almost managed it with a low drive which Bonham grabbed at the second attempt but there had also been crucial defensive headers from full-backs Ruffels and Long to preserve the point at the other end.

A second draw in a row then. A point at Priestfield is always a decent return and United had worked extremely hard for that point. Indeed, Dickie headed a chance to trade that point up when he headed over with the last action of the game, but nobody is hiding from the fact a league win would be welcome.

Before that happens, we have a welcome distraction when we are joined by half of Oxfordshire as we head to the other end of the country to take on Newcastle in the FA Cup.

See you there.

Att: 5,051

Away:535

Report by Chris William, pictures by Darrell Fisher

*Jones was too tricky

Match Reports

Standings

The Gaffer

The Quiz

Last Time We Met