A few matches since I've written. From an excellent performance away at Wimbledon to 70 minutes of some of the poorest football it's been my misfortune to see recently against Gateshead. Our excellent away record contrasts markedly with our 'meh' home form.
It's got to the stage where I look forward to away matches much more than I do the home ones. So, the match against Mansfield was one to savour. Not too difficult a journey for me, straight up the M1 - quite a way up mind you! This month isn't Movemeber for me, its Gigvember. So the soundtrack to my drive up the spine of England was two of those I've already seen (the Toy Dolls and Bellowhead - both blew me away) and two I am looking forward to (the Young Knives and Half Man Half Biscuit). The difference between seeing a band live and listening to a crappy mp3 version of their music is the same to me as actually getting off your arse to watch your football club and sitting on the sofa watching highlights. Not that there would be any highlight of this particular game on the Beeb. Oh no! Apparently if the Championship teams aren't playing then it isn't worth showing any League 1 or 2 highlights. I have sent them a stiff email that will surely see this policy reversed. Not.
Anyway, with the sound of 'Fisticuffs in Frederick Street' reverberating in my ears I got into Mansfield and parked up just down the road from the One Call stadium. Field Mill as was. I hate being late for anything, and as a result am normally embarrassingly early. So I sat and ate my lunch and turned Radio 5Live on to listen to the first part of their well advertised '10 hours of live international sport'. Hmm. Since the first of the days rugby union didn't start until 2.30, what the first 150 minutes of this sporting extravaganza consisted of was pundits waffling. On and on. Not really 'live international sport' is it?!
Anyway, kick off approached, so into the stadium. Last time I was here was in the Conference days, and the stand to the left of the away stand was derelict and Billy Turley (who was out of the team for some reason) acted as ballboy down that side since Mansfield obviously thought that having real ballboys was a new-fangled invention that they wanted no part of. The derelict stand was still there, but (from memory) had sprouted an impressive collection of added advertising boards that hid most of it. Worryingly, the TV camera gantry was perched on top - lets's hope it wasn't actually as decrepit as it looked for the cameraman's sake!
I'd like to say that the teams were announced. They might have been, but Mansfield had obviously used the same tannoy company as British Rail did in the seventies. Calling the tannoy 'indistinct' would be doing it a favour. In fact you couldn't make out a word of it in the away stand. That's OK, I'll have a look at the scoreboard and get the information from there. Nope. The scoreboard is actually in the picture above. Really. It's in the far corner, set back behind that last white advertising hoarding. I was dead in the centre of the stand, half way back (row I, fact fans) - and couldn't read it at all. Not brilliant really.
The rest of the ground is fine. The stand behind the opposite goal would presumably be rocking later.
But in fact during the game, most Stags fans were in the larger stand to our right.
Anyway, word filtered around of the team. Clarke, Hunt, Mullins, Raynes, Newey, Whing, Rose, Williams, Rigg, Kitson and Smalley. 99 goal Constable among those on the bench.
The wait for kick off was enlivened (in a cruel way) by a bloke at the bottom of the stand getting hit in the nadgers by a stray shot. And he had his phone in his pocket. Ouch. I don't know why that makes everyone (else!) laugh, but it does. Hope it wasn't too bad!
And off we went, with the mighty yellows (well, purples actually since Mansfield were in yellow) kicking towards us. We'd taken about 800 supporters (oddly enough I couldn't hear the official announcement over the PA later on!) and all were in decent voice once the game began. We started pretty much on the front foot, at a decent tempo, but it was Mansfield who had the first decent chance with Clarke having to make a decent save. That resulted in a corner and a free kick, both of which passed of relatively trouble free. After just ten minutes or so however, we took the lead. Danny Rose picked the ball up and ran with it (something Mansfield didn't like all afternoon) and put in a decent shot. The (ex-Scummer) keeper kept it out, but could only parry it across the goal. Rigg was there, and had stumbled, but sorted himself out and while the Stags defenders looked on, poked it into the empty net. Cue noisy celebrations in the stand and lots of congratulations on the pitch. Not that Riggy will want to see to many photos of them, what with having bits of blood-stained tissue poking out of his nose as a result of an unpunished elbow as early as the second minute. Actually, that was a pointer to some of Mansfield's play during the afternoon. They certainly 'put themselves about a bit' - but this season's Oxford aren't going to let themselves be bullied. When they gave as good as they got, suddenly Mansfield didn't like it, and the challenges got more and more reckless. Perhaps if the Stags concentrated on playing football a bit more (and they showed glimpses of it during the match) they would do better in the league this season.
Whing (just returning from injury) had to go off after about 20 minutes and was replaced by Asa Hall. I don't think Whings injury was the result of any Mansfield skullduggery, but It was really not much of a surprise when a couple of minutes later, yet another heavy challenge by the home team was mistimed and Rose was taken out. The referee was in a good position and it was a straight red. I can't say that I saw exactly what happened from where I was standing (sorry, 'sitting' officer!) but I'll look at it on the Football League Show and .... oh, maybe not. Raynes and a Mansfield player were booked in the handbags after the tackle. Playing ten men hasn't been the best thing for us in season's past, let's see how it goes this time!
In fact, Mansfield tried to take the initiative, although it was largely ineffective. We had some chances in this period. The lively and impressive Williams shot over after yet another forceful run, Asa Hall tried a volley which bothered nobody (but might have worried the corner flag) and Johnny Mullins couldn't get a header on target. As the half drew to a close, we were all thinking 'one up against ten men at halftime, not bad' - when the board went up for eight minutes of stoppage time. Not unreasonable really though. There had been a stoppage for the elbow to Rigg, one for treatment to Rose after the sending off and Mansfield's John Dempster had been treated for a cut after a clash of heads. Plus a substitution.
About four minutes into added time, Mansfield had a free kick on the halfway line. As they did all afternoon, they hit a long high ball into our area. It was headed away - but up rather than out - and eventually fell to a Mansfield player who thumped it through a crowded area past a probably unsighted Clarke into the net for the equaliser. Against the run of play, but we hadn't taken our chances and had been punished. For the first time in the afternoon you could hear the Mansfield fans. Damnation.
Then CW made an inspired substitution, taking off the hard working but unthreatening Smalley and bringing on Mr 99 Goals. A minute later and we were back in the lead, the home fans had shut right up and he was Mr 100 Goals. A fine pass from Dave Kitson through the defence (not for the first or last time in the afternoon) saw Ryan Williams run into space (which was also a feature of his afternoon), who put in a fine cross on the floor to Constable who tucked it in off the far post. James Constable I salute you. A loyal, hardworking footballer who never gives less than 100%. A brilliant achievement for you - now go for the scoring record!
Half time came, thankfully. Too much excitement. The half time entertainment was two teams of young girls playing a match in the middle of the pitch. One team in yellow, one in blue. Both sets of fans were cheering on those in yellow, but I don't think either team scored. I wasn't that interested!
The second half started and Oxford began if if they had a train to catch. It was all high tempo, one touch stuff with Kitson, the revitalised Rigg, Williams and Constable causing all sorts of trouble for the Mansfield defence. Beano could have been one closer to that record, but just missed with a lovely turn and shot which was just tipped over, Williams nodded on to the top of the bar - it looked like men against boys. But we didn't score and were almost punished. A Mansfield forward was nearly though but fluffed his kick and Clarke made a good punched save only to see the ball crossed though a thankfully vacant 6 yard box.
Then Kitson played a lovely ball inside the fullback, Rigg raced through and crossed the ball and the fleet-footed Williams was there to slide the ball under the keeper and into the net for a two goal lead. An excellent team goal, played at pace with overlapping and one touch passing. More please!
We than settled for that really. There was 25 minutes to go, and we kept the ball for the most part it, putting together 20 or 30 passes at a time. 'Top of the league and we're shit at home' sang the Oxford faithful. If we were any good at home, we'd be 15 points clear by now. The whistle brought Mansfield's misery to an end (although a significant part of their support had gone home after Ryan Williams goal with 25 minutes to go - what's that all about?).
CW gave the crowd a clap and congratulated Beano (who didn't seem to want to make a big thing of it), Williams came over to the stand to give his Mum a cuddle (which brought an Ahhh from many of the normally stony hearted U's supporters) and Kitson came and gave one of his boots to a young fan. Good stuff. I just wish 'home only' supporters could get a flavour of the away games, it gives you a whole different perspective.
On the way back to the car, most Mansfield fans who I overheard were in equal parts being very complimentary about Oxford and rude about their own team and the ref. Twas ever thus! One brave middle aged man mumbled 'You'll never win foock all' at me as I walked past him. Maybe, maybe not. But I enjoyed the last 100 minutes of football more than you did and we are top of the league. For now that will do me. At least until the next home games when I will doubtless slide into abject misery. Is there a more bipolar club in the country?
The next match is the cup replay at Gateshead. I won't make it - too far, midweek, part-time supporter, whatever. Good luck and well done to all that go.... The prize and TV money (and for the Wrexham game in the next round should we get there) would be very very handy come January.
COME ON YOU YELLOWS!
