PREVIEW Oxford United v AFC Wimbledon

A full guide to tonight's game in the Papa John's Trophy

2 February 2021

Oxford United welcome AFC Wimbledon to the Kassam Stadium tonight in the quarter final of the Papa John's Trophy (7pm)

TEAM NEWS
The U's made three signings on Deadline Day - Joe Grayson, Elliot Lee and Brandon Barker althogh none of them are likely to be involved this evening.

Instead boss Karl Robinson is likely to give Jamie Hanson, Mark Sykes, Anthony Forde, Rob Hall, Dan Agyei and Sam Winnall the opportunity to stake their claim for a more regular starting place. All six have been regulars on the subs bench but struggled for game time with the U's on an eight game winning streak.

Simon Eastwood returns in goal but Marcus McGuane and John Mousinho are missing through injury.

French striker Derick Osei Yaw, who has scored three times in the competition, joined Walsall on loan last night while Dylan Asonganyi has today extended his loan at Chelmsford until the end of the season.

Hear Karl's thoughts in iFollow right now where you can also hear from all of the new signings (and one of their dogs!) and see the whole game live.

You can stream the game HERE

THE OPPOSITION
For the second time in a row United face a team with an Interim Manager. Mark Robinson’s first task after he took over this week was to remind his players of ‘the greatest story in English football’. Robinson stepped up to take charge after the departure of Glyn Hodges on Saturday night and yesterday gave the players a 45 minute presentation of the journey that AFC Wimbledon have made, with their now boss working behind the scenes since 2004.

“I’ve just been given the opportunity to be the manager of the club with the greatest story in English football,” he said ."For whatever time it may be, I’m the manager of the greatest story in English football and the players need to understand that they are playing for the club with the greatest story in English football. That’s been the underlying message, underpinning everything, along with the values that go with that, both on and off the pitch.

"I don’t know how long it’s going to be for, but I’ve got to implement what I think is important, so it has just been really busy – all hands to the pump. I wanted to make an impact on the boys when they came in today, so there was just lots of preparation and planning, and trying to get the boys excited to go again."

The Gaffer

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MATCH SPONSORS
Our thanks to Wellers always good friends of the club and sponsoring the match tonight. Find out all about them HERE

COVERAGE
As well as live coverage on iFollow we have all the build up on twitter and on our official Insta page, complete with behind the scenes exclusive content, plus a full report and Gallery right here on the final whistle and reaction from all the key men in iFollow.

And look out for some special guests on the official You Tube channel for 'Matchday Live', available to help you get in to matchday mood from 6.15pm.

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Match Reports

Winnall Takes It All

Two goal Sam puts United one round from Wembley. Full time report.

2 February 2021

Oxford United are within touching distance of another Wembley final after a 3-1 win over AFC Wimbledon moved them through to the semi-finals of the Papa John's Trophy tonight.

Two goals from Sam Winnall, his first two goals for the club, and a Mide Shodipo goal in the second half secured United's place in Friday night's draw while extending their winning run to an incredible nine in a row despite Ethan Chislett's consolation for the visitors.

In the end it was confortable, although Wimbledon had the first effort from Ryan Longman go well wide of Simon Eastwood’s goal before United started to go up through the gears and on 12 minutes they went in front from a beautifully crafted opener.

Alex Gorrin, hugely influential in midfield, started it with a ball out to Josh Ruffels on the wing - the space around him created by Shodipo taking a defender away. Ruffels then had time to look up and deliver a perfect cross and Winnall joyfully leapt in front of keeper Sam Walker to head home his first goal for the club.

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The visitors should have equalised on 19 minutes when Shane McLoughlin headed wide under no pressure at all, but United were on top and on 28 were two goals up from another great team goal.

Again Gorrin started it, with Liam Kelly playing a nice touch, Rob Hall carrying the ball and then timing his pass to perfection and Shodipo skipping past his man. This time the cross was low and Winnall did what all good goalscorers do: nipping in front of his man to steer the ball past the helpless Walker and make it 2-0.

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A third would surely end the contest. Hall forced Walker into a save at full stretch with a trademark freekick, Ruffels saw a drive blocked and Mark Sykes was lurking at the back post until a desperate defender nicked the ball off his toe.

Wimbledon weren’t done just yet though and it took a wonderful save from Simon Eastwood to deny Ethan Chislett a goal that might have changed the course of the game, with another good save before the break just about ensuring that United still had their comfort zone.

On 52 the lead was three goals and the U's were in cruise control. Forget the goals and open style they are playing, there needs to be tackles and tenacity and this time it was the non-stop Sykes who won the ball in midfield and freed Shodipo, who has become a prolific scorer and rattled in his ninth of the season with his usual calm finish.

Winnall fired a good chance wide when a hat-trick beckoned after more trickery from the elusive Hall; Ruffells and sub Cameron Brannagan went close but United blotted their copybook on 77 when a little bit of casual defending allowed Chislett to chisel out the goal that the visitors had deserved for a spirited performance.

No matter.

Another hugely impressive performance. New signing Joe Grayson enjoyed a fine debut as a second half sub, fellow new boys Brandon Barker and Elliot Lee will add further quality, and nine wins in a row is an amazing sequence.

WWWWWWWWW and through to the Papa John's Trophy semi-final? Top that...

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