PREVIEW Oxford United v Wycombe Wanderers

A full guide to Saturday's Sky Bet League 1 game at the Kassam Stadium

27 October 2023

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

With another big crowd expected and a sold out away end there should be a terrific atmosphere as the U's look to bounce back after a first defeat in seven games at Wigan on Tuesday night.

TEAM NEWS
United will wait to see if Cameron Brannagan has recovered enough to be involved after illness ruled him out of the last two games. The midfielder returned to training yesterday and will be closely monitored to see if he can be included in the squad.

Marcus Browne and Kyle Edwards are still a couple of weeks away from a return to full training but James Henry is hoping to train with the squad again next week and Ed McGinty is close to fitness after a hand injury.

See the full interview with Liam and the pre-match thoughts of Marcus McGuane in iFollow now.

THE OPPOSITION
Matt Bloomfield saw his tenth-placed side draw at Peterborough last weekend but then lose at home to Bolton on Tuesday

“We’ve watched the two games back and all the stats and data showed that we outperformed Peterborough and Bolton, but the only stats that count are in the goals column. We believe that we’re building all the time and we have to learn quickly after each setback and translate that into points on the board.

“I’ve known Liam (Manning) for 20-25 years. We both came through the Ipswich youth system, although Liam was a couple of years below me, and he and his assistant Hoggy are good people. You want people like them to do well and succeed, Saturday aside of course".

U'S PAY RESPECTS
United will wear special edition Poppy shirts both this Saturday – our closest home League One fixture to Remembrance Sunday – and for our visit to Leyton Orient on Saturday 11th November. All match-worn shirts will be signed and auctioned following the matches to raise funds for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

Before kick-off on Saturday, we will be joined pitchside by Oxford United CEO, Tim Williams, and John 'Spike' Elliott, the club’s Sports Therapist, who served his country for 23 years in the UK, Germany, Gibraltar, Northern Ireland, the Falklands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Bosnia and Kosovo.

They will be joined by Bob Phillips MBE. Bob grew up in Barton, Oxford and joined the Royal Marines at 17 years old in 1970. He served for 22 years in Commando Units and Royal Navy ships around the world.

Bob, Tim and ‘Spike’ will lay Poppy wreaths on the pitch in honour of the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces.

We shall then observe a period of silence during which the Last Post will be played by Andrew Crowley, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and currently the Artistic Director with the internationally acclaimed group, London Brass.

We would like to remind fans that the period of silence will start and end on the referee’s whistle and that any supporters entering the stadium close to the 3pm kick-off should be respectful of this.

To find out more about the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal or to donate, please visit www.britishlegion.org.uk.

TICKETS

Tickets for the game are available now.
Click HERE to buy or call the Ticket Office team on 01865 337533.

PARKING AND ACCESS

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

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

MATCH GUIDES

Family Guide

Visiting Fans Guide

Disabled Supporters Guide

CLUB SHOP

The Club Shop has stock of all three new kits plus a huge range of leisure and training wear. Make sure you call in before the game, or take a look online HERE

GETTING HERE
The Football Special bus services, including the Didcot/Abingdon service, offer easy and affordable transport to home games and are part of the government's £2 for a ticket scheme. The OX2 service from Didcot/Abingdon now has an extra bus added due to growing demand

A full guide to getting to games is available HERE.

POLYTHENE UK 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.

COVERAGE
The game is available to watch overseas or hear in the UK in iFollow.

You can also follow the whole game on Twitter through @OUFCOfficial and we will have a full match report and Gallery right here on the final whistle.

Match Reports

REPORT Oxford United 2 Wycombe Wanderers 2

Brannagan penalty earns United a point in dramatic fashion. Full time report

28 October 2023

An injury time penalty from sub Cameron Brannagan gave Oxford United a point in the most dramatic of fashions this afternoon

Leading through a Ruben Rodrigues goal at half time, United seemed to have been undone as Luke Leahy twice beat James Beadle from the penalty spot after the break, the second seeing Liam Manning sent off for disagreeing with the decision. However, Brannagan came off the bench to thump home the third penalty of the game and earn United a point in the derby that's not a derby.

In truth, the U's were rarely threatened in open play during a fiercely competitive 90 minutes. There was, though, one unbelievable save from James Beadle when Dale Taylor blasted the ball at the exposed keeper from close range in just the second minute, but after 25 evenly matched minutes, it was United who began to run the game, especially after yet another goal to add to their showreel.

Fin Stevens, playing as a wing-back as the U’s switched shape, showed superb technique to flick the ball inside for the excellent Marcus McGuane, who had driven the initial move forward. He surged to the line and cut the ball back and Rodrigues crashed it past keeper Max Stryjek for an excellent second goal of the season.

It should have been 2-0 two minutes later, but Billy Bodin guided his header wide from another sublime flick from Rodrigues, and there was another great chance when Mark Harris bustled away but saw his shot clip the legs of Stryjek and flash inches wide of the post. Those misses were to come back and haunt United.

They were still full value for their half-time lead, but ten minutes into the second half disaster struck when McGuane, running back towards his goal slipped on the turf and the ball struck his trailing arm. Ref Seb Stockbridge, about to become the centre of attention, was right next to it and pointed to the spot, from where Leahy drilled the ball past the helpess Beadle to level things at 1-1.

An already congested midfield became even busier as the sides slogged it out and tried to find space or the upper hand. There were half chances - Rodrigues off-balance and unable to find enough power after 72, Harris off target with a header on 74 - but on 79 minutes Wycombe were handed the ideal opportunity to win the game as Mr Stockbridge gave another penalty.

This was far less clear. Brandon Hanlon's touch had taken the ball past Beadle but was rolling out of play. Beadle's hand was still there and Hanlon went over it. The ref hesitated, weighed up his options, and then made a decision that so angered Manning he was sent off. Leahy rolled the ball past Beadle and United seemed to be heading for a second defeat in a row.

Enter the talisman.

There was passion, there were a frenetic nine minutes of time added on, and there was a sly trip on Harris that provoked the referee to point to the spot for a third and final time. Up stepped Brannagan and United had their point.

Spot on.

Attendance: 10,168 including 1,448 away

Polythene UK Fifty/50 winning number 100625 wins £1135.50

Report by Chris Williams, pictures JasonPix, Steve Edmunds, Darrell FIsher and Rex Shuttersrtock