Oxford United showed plenty of character to safely make progress in the Emirates FA Cup at Woking this evening.
Goals from the in-form Billy Bodin and the rapidly emerging Tyler Goodrham saw the U's safely through to a second round game at home to Exeter City, despite a fine strike from Rohan Ince that gave an excellent Woking side hopes of a giantkilling.
On a filthy night, United were counting their blessings in the early stages as a Woking side in fine form in the Natonal League pressed them back. There was almost a comical own goal, the ball ballooning onto the bar with Ed McGinty stranded, but otherwise little to alarm either keeper as the sides sparred for openings.
McGinty was forced into a save from the experienced Padraig Amond after half an hour, but United had contained the home side rather than impose themselves on the game until Bodin opened the scoring seven minutes from the break.
Steve Seddon had impressed going forward on the left and his deep cross was steered goalwards by Matty Taylor, wrongfooting home keeper Craig Ross and allowing Bodin to bundle home his fourth goal in four games.
United needed to hold on until half time but instead, five minutes later, the scores were level when they failed to deal with a ball on the edge of the box and Ince stepped up to curl an ince-perfect effort beyond the dive of McGinty to make it 1-1 at the break.
Credit to both teams and to the officials for playing through some pretty atrocious weather, but with the ball starting to stick in the ever-increasing puddles, it was increasingly about playing to the conditions rather than playing the beautiful game.
On 54, United splashed through to score a very well-worked goal that defied the elements and won the tie. Having sprayed the ball around in the build-up, Cameron Brannagan slipped the ball down the right channel and Goodrham raced clear to fire across Ross for his second senior goal, making it 2-1.
The rain finally relented and the away fans, soaking in Woking, lowered their brollies and raised their voices as their side enjoyed their best spell of the match.
It was far from straightforward as a proper cup tie rose to the surface. Subs Gatlin O'Donkor, Marcus Browne, and James Henry went close at one end, but McGinty then made a crucial save when he somehow denied sub Reece Grego-Cox who had the whole goal to aim at with a close-range header.
Jim Kellerman then struck the bar for the home side as they threw everything at the U's, but the visitors had matched the lower-league side for effort and were full value for their progress.
Not pretty, almost impossible in the rain, but a win is a win and six games now unbeaten for the U's, who had professionally dealt with The Cards and fully earned their date with the Grecians in the next round.
Att: 4,173
Away: 841
Report by Chris 'Bone Dry' Williams, pictures Steve 'Soaking' Daniels and Steve 'Soggy' Edmunds