PREVIEW Oxford United v Ipswich Town

A full guide as Oxford United welcome Ipswich Town to the Kassam Stadium

20 January 2023

Oxford United welcome Ipswich Town to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday in Sky Bet League 1 (3pm)

TEAM NEWS
A win at a wind-affected Fleetwood last time out saw the U's move up to 13th in the table. Kyle Joseph scored within seconds of coming off the bench at Highbury and will be hoping to start for the first time since November.

The on-loan Swansea man adds to the attacking options where Gatlin O'Donkor and Matty Taylor compete for the central role.

Marcus Browne (hamstring), James Henry (calf) and Alex Gorrin (knee) all remain in the treatment room while Sam Baldock continues to make steady progress.

Hear the thoughts of Marcus McGuane in iFollow right now.

THE OPPOSITION VIEW
Ipswich have added 21-year old Harry Clarke to their squad after bringing him back to the club from Arsenal. Clarke started his career in the academy at Portman Road and spent the first half of this season on loan with Stoke City. Nathan Broadhead could also feature for the first time after joining from Everton while another new signing George Hirst, adds to the firepower after signing on loan from Leicester City.

Ipswich beat the U's on Boxing Day but Town boss Kieran McKenna said "I think it's better just to focus on the here and now, and take it as a fresh game."

"Of course, the result went our way last game. We know there was a pretty even start to the game and Oxford came out with a real aggression and purpose, and we can expect similar from them. I'm sure Karl will be wanting to set his team up with that game in mind.

"For us, it's about taking the game ahead of us, not looking backwards but looking to the game ahead. It will be a good game for us against a positive and aggressive team."

From the Dressing Room

The Programme

Under 18s travel to Portmouth

Women welcome Tower Hill

TICKETS
Tickets are available now from

oufctickets.co.uk
By calling 01865 337533
In person from the Kassam Stadium Ticket Office

PARKING AND ACCESS

There are around 2,000 free parking spaces at the stadium but we ask everyone to arrive early and park legally.

For a full list of bus routes that get you to the game from across the city CLICK HERE

The Football Special bus services, including the Didcot/Abingdon service, offer easy and affordable transport to home games. Click HERE for timetables and details.

The gate behind the Planet IT North Stand will be in place so pedestrians cannot move from one end of the ground to the other behind that stand.

VISITING FANS
Click here for a full away fan guide: away fan guide 2223.pdf

Please park in the West Car Park - the one closest to the cinema and bowling complex at the fence end of the ground.

FAMILY
You can download a full guide to bringing your family to the Kassam Stadium here: FamilyDayGuide for download.pdf

A Sensory Room is available should fans need to relax in a quiet calm space. Please ask a steward on the day if you would like to use it.

FIFTY/50
Our Polythene UK Fifty/50 tickets are available all around the ground and offer a great chance to win cash at half time: the prize was over £1,000 last time out...

COVERAGE

The game is available to hear in the UK on iFollow or see if you are overseas.

You can follow the whole game on Twitter through @OUFCOfficial or on our Instagram page and we will have a full match report and gallery right here on the final whistle.

Match Reports

REPORT Oxford United 2 Ipswich Town 1

Brannagan goal sees United win. Full time report

21 January 2023

A Cameron Brannagan goal earned Oxford United their best result of the season, even if few fans at the Kassam Stadium could see it.

Heavy fog descended soon after kick-off but somehow the game carried on and after Yanic Wildschut's first goal for the U's had been cancelled out by Leif Davis it was the talismanic Brannagan who made it back to back wins for United with a dramatic late winner.

aving changed shape to a three man defence with Brandon Fleming making his debut as a left wing-back the U’s started well, using the new scoreboard like a lighthouse to guide them through the ever-increasing fog.

They were a match in terms of possession but also grateful that the visitors joined in with the elements and mist them all.

Keeper Simon Eastwood could see enough to parry an early drive from Lee Evans, Sam Long was alert to the danger when George Hirst seemed to be in on goal and Marcus Harness fired over after a quarter of the game - at which point the ball was switched to a yellow one to help with visibility.

Former U’s loanee Wes Burns cracked the best chance of them all against the bar and then, out of the grey, Wildschut struck. Always powerful, Wildschut ran at the Ipswich back line, got a break of the ball and then poked the ball past stranded keeper Christian Walton for a goal joyously celebrated by his team mates who love his enthusiasm, energy and the sheer amount of hard work that went in to that one moment.

United now needed to settle back into their routine and get to the break but instead the lead lasted just three minutes until a perfect cross to the back post was met by the leaping Davis and headed back across Eastwood for a first senior goal for the left-back and a 1-1 scoreline at the break.

The fog became heavier at that stage and ref Robert Madden spoke to both managers after 50 and 75 minutes, to tell them that he could see OK, even if nobody in the stand could! Thankfully the game carried on with the teams battling away gamely. Probably

Hirst loomed from the gloom and fired wide after an hour, Matty Taylor and Kyle Joseph were thrown on soon after and after a further consultation with both Managers and the captains the game carried on.

I am not going too lie. I have no idea how he got the ball, all I saw was Brannagan blasting the ball with seven minutes left and a huge roar from a crowd I could no longer see. I will settle for that every game if you like.

There was a let off at the end I could see when the visitors hit the bar and then couldn't force the ball home in the resulting scramble but if United get a little bit of luck in the second half of the season then it will make up for having none in the first.

A big win and United are in the top half of the table. Hopefully we can all see where they are heading...

Att: 9,830

Away:1,491

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