Pre-season Friendly
Saturday 26 July 2025
Kassam Stadium
Oxford United… 0
Bristol Rovers… 1
(Anthony 77’)
Oxford United lost out to Bristol Rovers in the first home pre-season friendly of the season, despite a dominant performance at the Kassam Stadium.
Gary Rowett’s side controlled the play and had the best of the opportunities throughout, but a late goal on the break from the visitors meant United ended with a 1-0 defeat.
Following a summer break, a tour of Indonesia, and a trip to Mansfield, Oxford United finally returned to OX4 for the first of three consecutive home pre-season friendlies.
League Two Bristol Rovers arrived with a very familiar face in their ranks, with Josh McEachran captaining the side, while the United fans got the chance to say hello to a new man, with Luke Harris starting after signing on Friday from Fulham on loan.
Inside 10 minutes and United had two huge opportunities to take the lead. First, Przemyslaw Placheta raced through on goal, rounding the goalkeeper 30 yards out, but not fancying to shoot on his right foot by the time he cut back inside the chance to shoot had gone.
Then, one minute later on the seventh minute, Mark Harris was also sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and for all the world he seemed to have done everything right, but his shot just missed the top right corner.
Taylor Moore had the first chance for the visitors on 15 minutes, sending a volley wide from inside the box, then on 18 minutes Mark Harris did have the ball in the net, but the referee blowed for contact with the keeper.
For pre-season, there were a few fiery moments in the first half as tempers flared, and a few yellow cards shown in both directions.
Tyler Goodrham had the last chance of the first half, turning and firing a shot from 20 yards just inches past the post.
There were a few changes at half time, with Siriki Dembele and Sam Long coming on for their first minutes of pre-season. Just two minutes into the half, Dembele skipped past a few challenges and had a shot saved from the edge of the box – a bright start for the Scottish winger.
Dembele was lively throughout and set up a good opportunity for the first goal on 66 minutes, laying off Brian De Keersmaecker who forced the keeper into a save, knocking the ball to Goodrham and his shot was blocked from goal.
Gatlin O’Donkor came off the bench to go up against the side he spent time on loan at last season, and he threatened with a stinging shot on the 74th minute.
Despite all of the United pressure, it was the visitors who scored with 13 minutes to play. One ball cut through the heart of the U’s defence, with the ball deflecting to Micah Anthony who fired past Matt Ingram with a first-time finish.
Right at the death, Dembele had the biggest chance to equalise, but his shot towards the top right corner was tipped behind for a corner.
Here again on Tuesday night, as we face CD Leganes with a 7:00pm kick off.
Oxford United: Ingram, Kioso (Spencer 70’), Moore (Golding 85’), Helik (Long 46’), Currie (Leigh 70’), De Keersmaecker, L. Harris (Brannagan 46’), Trialist (Sibley 46’), Goodrham (O’Donkor 70’), Placheta (Dembele 46’), M. Harris (Mills 85’)
