EFL Sky Bet EFL League One
Saturday 15 August 2026
Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Oxford United… 2
(Harris 20’, Brown 90+5’)
MK Dons… 2
(Goode 29’, Collins 34’)
Oxford United left it late as Ciaron Brown scored a 95th-minute equaliser to earn a point in the first league game of the season.
United opened the scoring after 20 minutes through Mark Harris, but MK Dons turned the game around before half-time. It set up a grandstand finish, with Brown stepping up to slam home an equaliser and round off a positive display in Aaron Ramsey’s first game at the Kassam.
There was an electric atmosphere before kick-off as Ramsey received a rousing welcome from the Oxford United supporters, with a near-capacity crowd ready for the first game of the season.
United started strongly and were on the front foot from the off. The opening 20 minutes saw a few decent chances come and go, with Tyler Goodrham going closest when his shot was saved by Craig MacGillivray.
Then, on 20 minutes, United scored the first goal of the Aaron Ramsey era — and it was none other than his former Wales teammate Mark Harris. A lovely flowing move led to the opening, before United were slightly fortunate as the ball ricocheted back into the box and straight to Harris, who slammed a first-time finish home.
Just when it looked like United could kick on, MK Dons hit back and equalised nine minutes later. A dangerous corner put United under pressure and, after they appeared to have dealt with the danger, another cross from the left found Charles Goode at the back post. He looped a header over Cumming to make it 1-1.
Five minutes later, MK Dons took the lead. A mix-up at the back allowed the visitors to win possession in the right channel. A first-time cross found Aaron Collins, who headed past Cumming.
United came firing back in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. Playing with much more intensity, they began to open up the MK Dons defence and got into some promising positions, but couldn't find the killer touch.
Aidomo Emakhu was proving a much greater threat to the MK defence after the break and came close to setting up substitute Gatlin O’Donkor with a ball across the box, only for the visitors to scramble it clear with the striker waiting for a tap-in.
On 67 minutes, United had their hearts in their mouths when Collins flicked a header onto the post from a couple of yards out, but thankfully it bounced the right side of the post.
With 15 minutes to go, Harris was played through on goal with a chance to equalise, but the referee pulled play back for a foul on O’Donkor, halting a promising goalscoring opportunity for Oxford.
The chances continued to flow late on, with Harris inches away from grabbing his second on 85 minutes when his 18-yard effort was deflected wide.
Then, deep into stoppage time, United got the goal their play deserved. After keeping the ball alive, O’Donkor played it across goal and back into the danger area, where Brown stepped up to slam home.
Aaron Ramsey said his team will never stop, and that was certainly evident this afternoon. There were plenty of positives to take into next week’s trip to Stevenage and a promising start to the league season at home.
Oxford United: Cumming, Long, Brown, Brannagan, Harris, Emakhu, Goodrham, Spencer (Kioso 76’), McDonnell (O’Donkor 62’), Dembele (Missanga 76’), Currie
Subs: Eastwood, Helik, Snowden, Sibley
MK Dons: MacGillivrey, Jones, Barlaser, Goode, Nombe, Collins, Bramall, Ekpiteta, Wintle, Wiles, Nelson
Subs: Stacey, Crowley, Mendez-Laing, Paterson, Matete, Sanders, Troso