Sam Smith was on the mark as Oxford United’s under 23 side drew 1-1 at Peterborough this afternoon.
With the under 18s in action in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday there were no youth team players involved but that little bit of experience in the side with Jack Stevens, Cameron Norman, Sam Long, Charlie Raglan, Luke Garbutt, Jamie Hanson, Samir Carruthers and Smith all in the starting line-up alongside Aaron Heap, Rev James and Albie Hopkions.
It was Smith who put United in the lead with a calm finish on 33, passing the ball just inside the post from 12 yards out to make it 1-0 after the U’s had dominated the early stages, Hopkins scooping their best efffort over the bar against a similarly experienced Posh side.
The home side upped their game after the break and Stevens made two outstanding saves before the defence was finally beaten by a curling effort from the edge of the box to level things at 1-1. However United gave as good as they got; Smith forcing a fine save from the keeper on 68 with a rising drive from 20 yards out and also seeing a rebound go inches wide after he closed down the keeper.
At the other end Long and Raglan caught the eye with some characteristically determined defending but a draw was possible a fair result despite one of two striker trialists for the U's curling a last minute effort just wide in the final minute.
United
Stevens, Norman, Long, Raglan, Garbutt, Hanson, Heap, R James (Trialist 55), Hopkins (Trialist 60), Carruthers (Taverner 46), Smith)