PREVIEW Fleetwood Town v Oxford United

A full guide to Saturday's game at Highbury

13 January 2023

Oxford United head for Fleetwood Town in Sky Bet League 1 on Saturday (3pm)

TEAM NEWS
United are boosted by the return of Kyle Joseph to the squad. The on-loan Swansea forward has been missing since the start of November but has trained all week and will travel with the squad as they head north today.

Simon Eastwood is set to return in goal and with James Henry and Sam Baldock back in training it just leaves Marcus Browne (hamstring) and Alex Gorrin (knee) in the treatment room as Karl Robinson told us:

THE OPPOSITION

Assistant Head Coach Steven Whittaker, who works alongside Head Coach Scott Brown, has seen his side score at least one goal in 15 consecutive games in all competitions but is aware that United are a real threat:

“Oxford are a good footballing team; they work a lot of attempts on goal and put quite a few crosses into the box, so they really are a team that we have to be wary of. We did well against them down at their place, we drew 1-1 and did well against the ball. At home, we are hoping to have a little bit more of the ball and stay on the front foot as we have done over the last couple of weeks.

“The league is a tight one, so we aren’t looking too far ahead, it’s all in the balance at the moment. We’re in a good spot and have a home game at the weekend in which we can hopefully go and take the points and then look forward to the two times we face Sheffield Wednesday later this month – we’ll keep assessing the games as they come.”

TICKETS

Oxford fans are in the Parkside Stand. Tickets are available on the day.

Any uncollected tickets will be available to collect at Fleetwood on the day.

Prices :

Adult	£24
Over 65	£19
Under 25	£19
Under 16	£8
Under 5	Free

Disabled supporters pay the age-relevant price class and are entitled to a personal assistant FOC.

*Please note when buying a concessionary ticket proof of ID may be requested upon entry to the ground, If you are unable to provide proof of age you may be asked to pay the upgrade fee or may be refused entry.

London Road Travel
Coaches will depart the Kassam Stadium at 8:30am and Kidlington Sainsbury's at 8:45am

Prices

Adult Member	£35
Adult Non Member	£38
Under 18 Member	£33
Under 18 Non Member	£36

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 coaches

IFOLLOW
iFollow 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 converage on all official channels

Match Reports

REPORT Fleetwood Town 1 Oxford United 2

U's beat the Cod Army. Full time report

14 January 2023

Second half goals from Kyle Joseph and Ciaron Brown earned Oxford United a superb 2-1 way win at Fleetwood this afternoon.

Joseph came off the bench to score with his first action of the game, cancelling out a Brendan Wiredu goal for the home side in a wind-affected encounter at Highbury before birthday boy Brown poked home after a late corner to end a difficult week on a real high.

Playing into the face of the gale and an accompanying sea fret, United had the conditions very much against them in the first half and understandably struggled to create many chances but then took full advantage after the break to earn their first win of the year.

In a game with several heroes, the first 45 minutes belonged to Simon Eastwood, who stood up to all that the elements or the home side could throw at him.

The keeper, restored to the starting XI, made two good saves from Cian Hayes and then a sensational one to push a Promise Omochere header away after 20 minutes. His best save came after 37 minutes when he somehow twisted to touch another Hayes flick on to the bar.

When Eastwood needed help, Marcus McGuane was there to block another shot on goal, but a goal was coming and on 44 minutes the dreaded Pugwash theme was playing as Wiredu finally found a way past Eastwood, blasting home from the edge of the box to give the Cod Army a goal lead at half time.

All was not lost, provided the wind didn’t change, and the attack-minded Billy Bodin was thrown on to find a way back into the game. United now looked to gain the initiative but found it hard to shift the pattern of the game until Joseph's dramatic return turned the game.

Within seconds of emerging from the bench, the on-loan Swansea man was on the ball and running at the retreating home defence. A break of the ball and he was planting it into the Cod Army net, levelling the scores and registering his seventh goal of the season.

There was an almighty let-off straight after when Omochere somehow managed to live up to his first name and put the ball over an open goal from a yard out, but with the wind dying down and rain relenting, the game became much more end to end.

The superb Lewis Bate did all he could to drive his side forward and in the last minute United won it when a corner was nodded back by Elliott Moore and Brown stabbed past keeepr Lynch to win the game.

140123 fleetrwood 2nd (10).jpg

Credit to both sides for producing a spectacle on a raw winter's afternoon. Oxford United: beaten by Arsenal then winners at Highbury in the same week. What a team.

Another big game coming up against Ipswich at home next Saturday. See you there.

Att:
Away:

Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds, Darrell Fisher. Stats by OPTA