Sky Bet EFL Championship
Saturday 13 December 2025
Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Oxford United… 1
(De Keersmaecher 53’)
Preston North End… 2
(Storey 26’, Jebbison 49’)
Oxford United fell short as they valiantly thought back against Preston North End, losing 2-1 at home.
Preston took a 2-0 lead, but an early goal in the second half from Brian De Keersmaecker brought United back into the game, and despite a strong push, they couldn’t find the killer touch to claim at least a point.
Coming into the game on the back of a solid point away to Blackburn Rovers, Gary Rowett made two attacking changes with Ole Romeny in for his start of the season, alongside Nik Prelec.
Both started bright, as United began the stronger team in the opening 20 minutes. It was a scrappy, but front foot opening, with half chances for Greg Leigh and Romeny which couldn’t test the goalkeeper.
However, on the 26th minute, Preston took the lead. Thierry Small delivered a fairly innocuous cross into the box, which Jordan Storey won at the back post, and the ball somehow went through Jamie Cumming and just over the line.
United came back into the game, and Will Vaulks had to make the keeper work on 31 minutes, with his long-range drive forcing a diving save low to the bottom left corner.
The Yellows were putting the pressure firmly on the Preston backline and went narrowly close in a frantic two-minute spell from the 38th minute. A flurry of corners and long throws brought a plethora of chances, the best of those coming to Ciaron Brown who saw a powerful header touched over the bar with a springing save.
The equaliser couldn’t come in that period, and Gary Rowett made an immediate change at the break, with Stan Mills on for Hidde ter Avest.
Despite an early effort for Prelec, Preston doubled the lead on the 49th minute. A low cross in from the right from Alfie Devine found Daniel Jebbison who turned home with a first-time finish.
But back came Oxford with Brian De Keersmaecker scoring his first goal for the Club. It was a stunning goal; after neatly being set up by Nik Prelec, the Belgian had the composure to nutmeg his marker and hammer a left foot shot into the top left corner.
It was non-stop United pressure, with Preston seriously hanging in. On the 59th minute, the keeper had to make a stunning save from Vaulks’ volley from 25 yards, with Iversen having to deal with chance-after-chance.
The big moment came on 69 minutes when brilliant work from De Keersmacker and Mills found the head of Lankshear in the box and his header clipped the crossbar.
Tyler Goodrham was then close to finding the equaliser four minutes later, but it was bodies on the line for the visitors who just managed to deflect his goal-bound shot wide.
United continued to push forward, but couldn’t break Preston down, as the game ended in defeat.
Oxford United: Cumming, Brown, Vaulks, Helik, Romeny (Goodrham 64’), De Keersmaecker, Prelec (M. Harris 77’), Leigh, ter Avest (Mills 46’), Lankshear (Bradshaw 77’), Davies
Subs: Ingram, Long, L. Harris, Currie, Krastev
Preston North End: Iversen, Valentin, Whiteman, Armstrong, Jebbison, Storey, Hughes, Dobbin, Devine, Small, Offiah
Subs: Walton, Vukcevic, Keane, Frokjaer, Thompson, Thordarson, Smith, Nolan, Potts
Attendance: 10,379 (1,029)
50/50: 087964 / £1,190