NEVER leave an Oxford United game early.
That was the case for the second time in a week, as a late Cameron Brannagan free kick saw United hit back from 2-0 down to force a penalty shoot-out against Swansea City in which keeper Ed McGinty went from villain to hero and Brannagan sent his side through.
Two-nil down at the break to goals from Jay Fulton and Liam Cullen, the U's stepped things up after half time and were given hope when Alex Gorrin grabbed a goal back, before Brannagan hammered home a last-gasp equaliser to set up the spot-kick drama.
United looked out for the count at two goals down, with keeper Ed McGinty under the spotlight for the wrong reasons just six minutes into his debut.
The Irish keeper was quickly off his line to slide towards a ball as it rolled towards him, but was horrified to find his slide carrying him outside the box. As much as he tried to hide the ball under his mullet, ref Thomas Bramall had spotted the handball and Fulton drove the free kick round the suspiciously flimsy wall to give the Swans an early lead.
McGinty is a strong character, as well as a good goalkeeper, and reacted well with two confidence-boosting saves that settled him down, but the U’s were very much on the back foot throughout the first half, skipper Elliott Moore having to slide in and make a vital clearance as the Swans controlled the first 20 minutes.
James Henry did his best to drive the team forward and fired wide after good play by debutant Lewis Bate in midfield, but on 24 it was 2-0 when Cullen picked up a loose ball to get in behind the defence and fired past McGinty with a clinical finish.
It took a brave bit of defending from the combined forces of Ciaron Brown and Steve Seddon to keep it at that scoreline after 37 minutes as they threw themselves into a block to deny Cullen a second, but United hadn’t had a shot on target before the break and could have few arguments with the scoreline.
The improvement after the interval was immediate. The arrival of Cameron Brannagan and Stuart Findlay added experience and strength, and Ciaron Brown almost got them back into the game on 57 when he powered a header across the goal and inches wide.
The introduction of Marcuses Browne and McGuane just after the hour further strengthened them, with Brannagan firing a chance too close to keeper Steven Benda with 20 minutes left before Gorrin inadvertently got them back into the game with 18 minutes remaining when he closed the keeper down and made it 2-1 as the attempted clearance ricocheted off him and into the unguarded net.
You would have got long odds on a United win at half time against a side that had enjoyed 68 per cent of the possession at that stage, maybe even longer odds on United's Spanish midfielder scoring the goal that got them back into it (three goals in 103 appearances) but now the crowd was up and the U's were the team asking all the questions.
Goodrham picked off a backpass but Benda got down superbly to deny him an equaliser and surely that was game over?
Nope.
Injury time and Stuart Findlay was fouled on the edge of the box. Up stepped Brannagan, his free kick hammered into the wall and bent over Benda to force the game to a penalty shoot-out.
Browne made it 1-0, Cullen levelled. Gorrin scored for 2-1, Ntcham made it 2-2. McGuane fired into the roof of the net for 3-2. Joe Allen scored for 3-3. Sub Slavi Spasov stepped up for 4-3. McGinty saved from Borinola and Branagan did the rest. Of course.
Superb. Luck of the irish? No, pure belief.
See you in tomorrow's draw.
Att: 4,373
Away: 873
Report by Chris Williams pictures by Steve Daniels and Steve Edmunds, stats by OPTA