PREVIEW Forest Green Rovers v Oxford United

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

28 April 2023

Oxford United look to make it two wins in a row as they visit Forest Green Rovers in their final away game of the season on Saturday (3pm)

A win over Cheltenham Town on Tuesday lifted the U's away from danger and a win on Saturday could guarantee survival if results elsewhere also go their way.

TEAM NEWS
The U's welcome teenage striker Gatlin O'Donkor back into the squad but are likely to be without Tyler Goodrham who picked up a gluteus injury on Tuesday, shortly before scoring the opening goal. Goodrham should be in contention for the final game at home to Accrington next Sunday.

With Goodrham unavailable Josh Murphy stands by to return to the starting eleven after a very impressive appearance as sub on Tuesday.

You can see Ciaron Brown, Marcus Browne, and Liam Manning previewing the game in iFollow right now.

THE OPPOSITION
Rovers’ first relegation since 1955 has already been confirmed with just one win in 14 games leading to a return to League 2.

“I think we knew it was coming. You feel for the fans, the owner, we managed to get up, to get straight back down is disappointing, we know it’s been on the cards but we wanted to keep believing,” boss Duncan Ferguson said.

“Oxford beat Cheltenham 4-0 after Cheltenham played us on the Saturday, so they might have been feeling their legs a bit in that game. They're off the back of a victory and they're fighting to stay in the division. It'll be a tough match. We got beat by Cheltenham and they beat Cheltenham 4-0, so that tells you all you need to know."

TICKETS
This game is ALL TICKET for away fans and the last of our 1,224 tickets sold out two weeks ago.

Fans without tickets should not travel to this match.

London Road Club

Coaches will depart the Kassam Stadium 12 o'clock prompt.

Prices:

Adult Members	£17
Under 18 Members	£15
Adult Non Members	£20
Under 18 Non Members	£18

Visit oufctickets.co.uk or call 01865 337533 to book

Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult and no alcohol is permitted on the buses

IFOLLOW
iFollow coverage is available to hear in the UK and watch overseas, with full commentary from our friends at BBC Oxford Sport.

We'll have our usual full coverage across all official channels as well.

Match Reports

U's Guarantee Survival

U's win at Forest Green Rovers to stay in League 1. Full time report

29 April 2023

Oxford United guaranteed their League 1 safety this afternoon when goals from Kyle Joseph, Tyler Goodrham and Billy Bodin eased them to a 3-0 win at Forest Green Rovers.

A side that had been struggling for goals has now scored seven in two games and will deservedly play at this level again after turning round a run where they didn't win for 17 games.

Today United simply picked up where they left off in the previous game when they were rampant in the second half against Cheltenham. This time they dominated the entire game against Duncan Ferguson’s already relegated Rovers and could easily have won by an even greater margin.

There was an early header from Ciaron Brown comfortably held by home keeper Ross Doohan, but then the keeper was helpless when Joseph blasted the U’s into a priceless lead that settled nerves and knocked any early fight our of their hosts.

Slipped the ball by the excellent Marcus McGuane, Joseph bullied his way past a defender and then smashed the ball home to send the travelling army into plant-based delight.

Marcus Browne’s piledriver flew just wide, Bodin twice tried his luck from similar distance, and the intensity and work rate were evident as Simon Eastwood was given 45 minutes to enjoy the glorious Gloucestershire sunshine rather than have to make a save.

Goodrham came on at half time for Browne and within 50 seconds he had dispelled any thoughts of second-half anxiety. United penned the home side back in the corner and in the end their chasing paid off when Goodrham won the ball back. He then won a key challenge, looked up, and lifted a magnificent effort over the stranded Doohan, busy Doohan nothing, to give whoever made the Goal of the Season compilation at tomorrow night's awards dinner a BIG headache.

In the lead up, Ferguson had complained of his side losing battles and United's two goals had both come from their players being that little bit stronger in the challenge.

His side finally created a chance after 57 minutes, but Eastwood was equal to Tyrese Omotoye's sliding effort and that was about it for them as a threat.

On 58 minutes Bodin rivalled Goodrham's spectacular effort when he fired over the despairing Doohan for a wonderful third goal; Bodin's return has been instrumental in United's survival.

A superb effort from all concerned: players and fans united. Winning two 'must-win' games in a row takes some doing, and the spirit and fight on display should give hope for the future. It's not truly a reason to celebrate is it? Avoiding relegation (barring a freak result on Sunday)? But I think we should....

Att: 4,070
Away: 1,224

Report by Chris Williams, pictures by Darrell Fisher, Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds and Rex Shutterstock