Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 25 July 2026
The Hive, Barnet
Barnet… 1
(Senior 55’)
Oxford United… 2
(Mills 3’, O’Donkor 88’)
Oxford United won their second pre-season friendly game, defeating Barnet away from home thanks to a late Gatlin O’Donkor goal.
It was a flying start for United in their second pre-season game of the season as they took on the League One side with Stan Mills opening the scoring inside the opening few minutes. In his first appearance of pre-season, the winger strode through onto Tyler Goodrham’s through ball, breaking free 30 yards out from goal, and he calmy slotted the ball into bottom right corner.
The game slowed down after that bright start with Oxford holding most of the control without creating too many opportunities. Captain for the day, Mark Harris, did test the goalkeeper on 12 minutes with a shot from outside the box which Ashby-Hammond easily gathered.
As a contest, it was a scrappy affair with Barnet holding their own and conjuring their own opportunities in the first half. Simon Eastwood was in from the start and he had to pull of a stunning save on the 29th minute with Oisin Gallagher powering a shot toward the bottom left corner from 18 yards out.
Eastwood was called into action again four minutes later, this time producing a smart double save to keep the home side out.
Mills was at the heart of the best United chances and five minutes before half-time he went close to doubling his and the team’s score. Racing down onto a loose ball against the keeper, Mills managed to get his head onto the ball and over Ashby-Hammond but he reacted well to claw the ball away.
Into the second period and Barnet did get back into the game on 53 minutes. A low ball into the box from the left-hand side was met by Adam Senior who powered the ball into the roof of the net and beyond Eastwood.
United tried to get back into straight away with half-time substitute Aidomo Emakhu breaking free down the right and his shot across goal was well kept out by the Barnet number one.
One minute later and Leo Snowden had the best chance of the game for United. Harrison Bradney played the intelligent ball through the Barnet defence for the forward to race onto and despite reversing the ball to the bottom left the keeper was a match with a fine stop.
Once the substitutes were made on the 60th minute for United with nine players changed, neither team really threatened for the next 20 minutes. Aaron Ramsey’s side did hold control and showed some good football amongst.
With two minutes left, United did take the lead for the second time through Gatlin O’Donkor, who grabbed his second goal in as many games. The goal was made by Ruben Roosken who charged down the left wing and cut the ball back to the striker and the man who spent time on loan at Barnet previously fired the ball through the keeper’s legs.
Overall, another testing and strong 90 minutes in the legs. Next up Crawley Town on Tuesday in Oxford.
Barnet: Ashby-Hammond, Collinge, Tavares, Kenlock, Senior, Ofoborh, Gallagher, Kanu, Williams, Lakin, Tshimanga
Subs: Smith, Maskell, Slaw, Williams, Crichlow, Farquhar, Knowles, Wright
Oxford United: Eastwood, Brown, Vaulks, Harris, Goodrham, Spencer, Mills (Emakhu 46’), Bradney, Golding, Currie, Snowden
Team after 60 minutes: Eastwood, Kioso, Long, Helik, Leigh, Sibley, Brannagan, Emakhu, McDonnell, Roosken, O’Donkor.
Subs: Elliot-Wheeler, Burton, Missanga, Marriott, Cumming