EFL Sky Bet Championship
Saturday 11 April 2026
Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Oxford United... 2
(Peart-Harris 19', Harris 90+2')
Watford... 0
Oxford United won 2-0 at home against Watford after a late goal from substitute Mark Harris, giving them a vital three points.
Myles Peart-Harris scored early in the first half, before the late goal from Harris to seal the win at a packed Kassam Stadium.
The first ten minutes of the match were back and forth between the two sides, but Oxford were off to a good start with two good chances, quickly taking control of the important game.
Fortunately, the Oxford fans wouldn’t have to wait long for a goal when Stan Mills won Oxford a free kick outside the right side of the box which was taken by captain Cameron Brannagan. It led to chaos in the box, with the ball landing at Myles Peart Harris’ feet who tapped it into the bottom left corner, putting Oxford ahead.
But Oxford couldn’t relax for long, as a few minutes later Watford’s Luca Kjerrumgaard had a shot on target, but it was saved by Jamie Cumming. Watford then had a series of shots immediately after, but the Oxford defence stood strong.
In the final minute of the half, United almost made it 2-0 when they were awarded a free kick outside the penalty box which was taken by Jamie Donley, the strike skimming past the right post.
Watford came back from half time on the attack, controlling possession for the first five minutes. Irankunda took a shot outside the penalty box, which was saved by Cumming.
Oxford took back control of the game and looked very dangerous. Matt Bloomfield's side created chance after chance, with Donely, Will Lankshear, and Brannagan all nearly scoring. With multiple set pieces, and chances, Oxford dominated the second half, not giving Watford a break.
The biggest chance came after some nice play by Konak who took a shot from outside the box, which was saved by the Watford goalie. The corner after was then turned away near the goal line, with United trying to scramble the ball over the line.
The Oxford fans were on their feet after multiple calls for fouls against their players, with Stan Mills and Lankshear going down in the box but the shouts were ignored.
Worryingly for Oxford, Watford started to gain possession with 15 minutes to play and did trouble the goal with a few shots on goal, but they couldn't hit the target.
After Watford’s dangerous attacks in the Oxford box, the home side came back into the game with a number of threatening counterattacks in the last five minutes of the game. Donley set up a big chance from a corner, which Lankshear collected and shot over the bar.
After a tense back and forth in the last minutes of the second half, substitute Harris intercepted a Watford pass in the midfield and sprinted towards goal. From a tight angle on the right of the box, Harris took aim and fired a shot low into the bottom left corner to make it 2-0 inside stoppage time.
Oxford now look to their next match against Derby County next Saturday after a successful afternoon at the Kassam, with just four left in the season.
Oxford United: Cumming, Long, Brown, Konak (Vaulks 90+1'), Helik, Brannagan, Spencer, Mills, Lankshear (Romeny 90+1'), Donley (Harris 85'), Peart-Harris (ter Avest 77')
Subs: Ingram, Placheta, Jin Woo, Makosso, McDonnell
Watford: Selvik, goglichidze, Pollock, Chakvetadze, Kjerrumgaard, Louza, Mendy, Abankwah, Petris, Kayembe, Irankunda
Subs: Baxter, Keben, Ince, Ekwah, Doumbia, Baah, Maamma, Mullins, Nabizada
Attendance: 11,223 with 1400 away
By Georgie Davis-Gilbert
50/50: £1,283 / No: 119702
