Oxford United Under-18s got their season underway this Saturday at the OUFC Training Ground with a clash against Leyton Orient, ending with a 4-0 defeat.
A young side was named for the league opener with Louis Griffiths leading the line and a return to action for Calum Doyle after his recent concussion. A side without notable names from last season as a long injury list left the U’s with a much smaller squad than expected to start their campaign.
It didn’t take long for the first goal of the game with the visitors getting the opener in the very first minute. A dangerous corner that wasn’t dealt with by the U’s defence was bundled over the line.
Louis Griffiths was quick to attempt to a comeback with a couple of silky runs down the wing, beating his man on both occasions, however both came to nothing.
Unfortunately for the U’s, who looked like they were starting to get into the game, they conceded their second shortly after. Another set piece for Orient, this time from a free kick, saw Charlie Anderson pick out the top corner to double the lead.
The O’s looked like they had their third with another effort creeping over the line, however, they were denied by an amazing acrobatic clearance from Albie Collins.
A first half which hadn’t gone United’s way in any kind of form got even worse as Calum Doyle was sent off just past the 30-minute mark, leaving the U’s with a mountain to climb.
Orient wrapped up the first half with their third, this time from the spot, giving the U’s a lot to think about at the break.
United came out in the second half looking much better and despite being a man down they continued to fight to get back into it.
Both sides managed good spells on the ball, but struggled to make it count and the score remained 3-0 until the 80th minute mark, when Orient found their fourth and made it an opening day to forget for United.
No time to dwell on it for the Young U’s as they have a quick turnaround with an away trip to Wimbledon on Tuesday an important cup visit to Luton on the weekend.
United: Jackson, Trialist, Osborne, Blackmore (H. Vaughan 75), Collins, Doyle, Abolade, Appiah, Purcell, Holton, Griffiths (Dourish 62)
