Oxford United U18s came back from two goals down to draw away at rivals Swindon Town. Second-half goals from Tyler Goodrham and Callum Crook saw the U's earn a well-deserved point.
United's U18s started the game on the back foot and gave themselves work to do after conceding in the opening five minutes. Swindon got forward for the first time in the game and the winger's looping cross found the head of a Swindon striker, who headed in the opener.
United responded well and went close through Edwards. He found a yard of space in the area but his shot was deflected behind. Edwards was involved again minutes later, again finding space in the box but he couldn't get the connection he wanted on his shot on the turn as the Swindon stopper gathered the ball.
As expected, in typical derby-day fashion it was a physical game in which both sides gave away cheap fouls. United battled hard and finished the half on top.
The youngsters started the second half the brighter side. Tyler Goodrham proved a nuisance on the wing in the opening exchanges, becoming United's main creative outlet.
United hit their opponents on the break as Goodrham burst into the area from wide right. His crossed flashed across the face of goal with Michael Elechi in the area, but he just couldn't reach the cross. Goodrham then fired in another cross, finding Jack Stevens, who made an excellent run at the back post. Stevens' header was on target and forced a great save from the Swindon goalkeeper.
United had their tails up but found themselves further behind against the run of play as a Swindon forward turned in from close range to double the hosts' advantage.
The lively Goodrham grabbed a goal back with 30 minutes to go with a well-taken strike, dancing between two defenders and finishing into the corner, as United started to turn the screw.
Callum Crook then got the equaliser the youngsters deserved with 20 minutes to go. He drove into the area and drilled a low shot into the bottom-left corner. United didn't stop there though, as the hosts struggled to deal with the high press.
It was one-way traffic as the U's threw bodies forward. Stevens had another opportunity with a header but couldn't steer his effort on target before Crook hit the bar with five minutes remaining. His diving header crashed against the crossbar, hit the goalkeeper and somehow bounced away.
It was a fantastic performance from the U's, which could have seen the away side take all three points, but the youngsters couldn't quite find that all-important winner.
UNITED: Evans, Gardner, Johnson, Chambers-Parillon, Edwards, Nosakhare, Goodrham, Trialist, Crook, Stevens, Elechi.