My clippings from this morning's copy of The Sun
The Sun’s football website: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football
Oxford’s biggest mistake in this game was that they didn’t keep a close eye on Adam “Alfie” Le Fondre.
As he scored two goals that probably sounds like I’m “stating the bleedin’ obvious” - as Basil Fawlty once said, but I was left wondering whether any of the Oxford lads had been told about his goal poaching exploits last season … when he netted 30 times for the Millers.
All the goals in this game came in the first half and Oxford were by no means embarrassed, but they were second best - just.
The first twenty minutes of the game threatened to send all 3800 spectators into a coma and the near 500 travelling fans resorted to singing the Headington Road ditty “Stand Up If You Hate Swindon”, such was the lack of entertainment on show.
I suspect that most players were a little nervy though given the poor run of recent results from both sides and it took Le Fondre’s opener to settle everyone down.
Rotherham had been booed off after their previous two performances and manager Ronnie Moore told me later:
“Frankly I didn’t blame the fans for that as we deserved it. We weren’t at our best in those games.”
But the victory against Oxford approached the standards they set for themselves last season and if Le Fondre can keep finding the room he did on Saturday, then his final tally from last season will easily be beaten.
Moore is well aware that he might come under pressure to sell Le Fondre if a big money offer is made, but he said:
“Frankly, no-one has made an enquiry for Alfie and I’m hoping that no-one does. He has been working hard on his game. I told him that the harder he works, the more he will score. I told him to look at someone like Ian Rush and use him as an example. Rushie (Ian) didn’t just hang around waiting to score at Liverpool, he played his part for the team and that probably got him more goals.”
I don’t think that many Rotherham fans would begrudge him a big money move at the end of the season, but Le Fondre didn’t seem too keen to jump ship when I caught up with him. He said:
“If I do leave it will have to be right for me, right for my family and right for Rotherham, but I haven’t even thought about it. I’m scoring goals regularly and you only do that when you’re happy. There’s no point in even thinking about it.”
Oxford boss Chris Wilder was fairly philosophical after this defeat and said:
“We had three new players in the team and I think we acquitted ourselves well against a very good side.”
The three new players looked comfortable. Paul Wotton came in as skipper and was unlucky not to score with a powerful 25 yarder late on which was turned over the bar by inspired home keeper and Father Ted look-a-like Andy Warrington.
Central defender Ben Futcher looks very commanding when anything is in the air … and his 6’7” frame helps. While striker Steve MacLean was extremely industrious and never gave up running for the cause.
Most of the talk was understandably about Le Fondre after the game, but Warrington deserves a special mention as he made a series of fine saves to thwart the away team. He was even unfortunate to see a save from Tom Craddock fly off his legs and into the path of the lively Simon Clist for the equalizer.
On this show I would suspect Oxford will be a must tougher proposition against Gillingham next weekend after the three new lads have learned their team mates’ names and had a few training sessions.
It will also be interesting to see how MacLean and James “Beano” Constable work together over 90 minutes. Constable had a sickness bug himself during the week and came off the bench to play a small part in this game and Craddock didn’t look best pleased as he made way for his club captain. I suspect that Craddock will be warming the bench on Saturday if Beano is fit.
N.B. I’ll have more quotes from this game in tomorrow’s blog.
Song artist: Cilla Black
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