Monday, 7 January 2013

Oxford United 0 Sheffield United 3

Tony McMahon dished up samba flair as the Blades cut Oxford out of the Cup.

McMahon is now jokingly being compared to his Brazilian hero after scoring a third goal from a free kick in four games in the 17th minute. 


Central defender Jake Wright fouled Jamie Murphy twenty yards out and McMahon netted his third free kick in four games when he stroked the ball over the wall to leave keeper Ryan Clarke rooted to the spot.

McMahon  revealed:

"The lads now call me the free kick specialist and our midfielder Kevin McDonald even called me Juninho which is pretty funny."

"I scored two at Crawley a couple of week's ago. They were my first goals for the club and his was my first FA Cup goal. I was absolutely buzzing when it went in."

Full back McMahon, 26, signed from Middlesbrough and was in his hometown club's youth academy while the little midfielder played over 100 first team games and won nearly fifty international caps.

And McMahon admitted that moving from the club he had been with and supported from childhood was a wrench, but said:

"Anyone can see that I'm loving life now. You only have to look at my face. I play with a smile every game and that's because of the players and the gaffer who is always giving me advice and helping me to improve."

Former Stoke City hit man Dave Kitson, 32, netted the second in the 68th minute from close in after a nod back across the face of goal from Nick Blackman.


Ryan Flynn floated the free kick from the left flank to Blackman at the far post and he nodded the ball back for Kitson to bundle home from one yard.

Blackman, 23, was moved to the wing by manager Danny Wilson to accommodate Jamie Murphy who signed in a six figure deal from Motherwell last Thursday, but is delighted to be reunited with a former team mate. He said:

"There's been competition since the start of the season and we've added another quality player in Jamie. I played with him at Motherwell and he was easily one of the best players in the league - and that was two or three years ago. In fact he set up quite a few of my goals while I was there.

"I'd heard we were linked with his and just hoped it was true because I know the player he can be. The first time I knew for certain was when he walked into the changing room on Thursday."


Blackman wrapped things up in the 87th minute with his twelfth of the campaign when he fired in a pass from midfielder Kevin McDonald from just inside the box.

But Clarke kept Oxford in the game five minutes after the break when he bravely dived at the feet of new Blades striker Murphy to block his shot from six yards.

Manager Danny Wilson signed the 23-year old from Motherwell for an undisclosed six figure sum on Thursday to bolster his promotion chasing League One outfit.

In the 54th minute Justin Richards should have equalised from eight yards.

Striker Richards signed a one month loan deal from Burton on Friday and was left red-faced after scooping the ball wide with the goal begging.

On the hour McDonald came close himself when his 25 yard drive flew inches over Clarke's bar.

League Two side Oxford had opportunities to break the deadlock before McMahon's opener.

Winger Tony Capaldi's long throw in the sixth minute was headed clear by Stoke loanee defender Danny Higginbotham, but midfielder Peter Leven volleyed over from twenty yards.

Six minutes after McMahon's goal, Craddock came close to levelling.

Capaldi pumped a long ball forward and Caddock raced on to it before cutting into the box fro the left and firing in a shot that George Long did well to save at his near post.


Long also kept Craddock out with a good block in the dying minutes, but by then the tie was over.

Wilson was pleased with his team and said:

"We defended brilliantly at times and as the game wore on we were able to show our quality. It could have been a bit of a banana skin for us, but we competed well. From the fantastic free kick from Tony we got a foothold in the game.

"Our main priority is clearly the league but it doesn't do any harm to have a run in the FA Cup. To keep a clean sheet was great because Oxford have as good an offensive threat as many teams in our division."

Oxford boss Chris Wilder was happy that his side had put up a fight despite being dumped out of the competition by the same club and scoreline in successive seasons. He said:

“I was proud of how the lads went about their business. They showed a really good attitude and we created chances. If we could have put one of those away then it might have been a different story.


"The result didn't reflect the game. We pushed, we played and we probed. We pushed them all the way.
"The first goal wasn't a free kick for me. I get so frustrated by some of the people officiating our games, but I don't want to take anything away from Danny Wilson and his boys.”
My piece from this morning's paper

... and Sunday's edition

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