Bradford City 0 Preston North End 0

Kyle Bennett's Bradford debut turned sour when he was involved in a double sending off.

Bradford Winger Bennett is one of the club's six January signings, but the Doncaster loanee clashed with midfielder Neil Kilkenny in the 25th minute and both were shown red cards for fighting.

Promotion chasing Preston then hit the woodwork twice.

Striker Paul Gallagher chested Scott Laird's 27th minute cross against the post from two yards and winger Josh Brownhill rifled a shot off the upright in the second half.

Seconds before the break Bradford striker Aaron Mclean came close to scoring on his home debut with a point blank header, but keeper Declan Rudd punched clear.

Rudd then pulled off two great second half saves to make sure of a point.

Mclean had a low shot blocked by Rudd's feet and the keeper back-peddled to tip over a cross from Middlesboro loanee winger Adam Reach that was drifting under his bar.

Both managers were unhappy with referee Stuart Attwell after he showed first half red cards to Preston midfielder Neil Kilkenny and Bradford winger Kyle Bennett.

Preston boss Simon Grayson said:

"It was an entertaining game, but wasn't helped by the referee early on. There was nothing in it by either player. They pushed each other in the chest or neck area. I don't know if that constitutes a sending off, but I think you have to use common sense.

"He could've given himself a bit more breathing time and given them both yellow cards.

"We both wanted to win the game and neither team was settling for a point."

Opposite number Phil Parkinson agreed and said:

"Refereeing is about common sense. It looked innocuous to me. Stuart came into the game in the Premier League to a great fanfare. We've had him before and he was outstanding, but I think he could have used common sense. We lost the two best technical players on the pitch.

"I thought we saw two excellent teams out there in difficult conditions."

Oxford United 1 Torquay United 0

The confused managerial situation at Oxford now appears to have been resolved in that Chris Wilder has moved to Northampton to help them prop up the league, but my piece from the Sunday edition of the paper (below) sums up a weekend of confusion at the Kassam.

Of course the club now needs to appoint a new man and Chairman Lenagan has already indicated that he wants to put a manager in place until the end of the campaign - a three month job interview? - and so the hunt has started for Wilder's replacement.

I suspect that the thought of a short term contract will not appeal to managers already with clubs and so, if Lenagan is looking for a safe pair of hands with the experience of getting sides promoted to League One, what about former Wycombe chief Gary Waddock? Just a thought.

****

Chris Wilder insisted he had not quit as Oxford manager - hours after boss Ian Lenagan announced his departure.

Oxford's managerial situation became farcical on Saturday evening when Wilder, 46, released a statement through his agents claiming:

"Following on from various comments in the media we can confirm that Chris Wilder has not resigned as manager of Oxford United Football Club either verbally or in writing and therefore continues in his role."

But Chairman Ian Lenagan had claimed after the win over Torquay:

"I've just looked in his office and he's not there, but it would appear that he has resigned. It seems a very peculiar way to do it, but he has told the players. He told me yesterday - and the day before - that he would resign at the end of the match."

Wilder, 46, appeared to walk out on the club shortly after his team had won for the first time in five home games following Deane Smalley's sixth minute goal against relegation threatened Torquay.

Lenagan had refused to give Wilder permission to speak with bottom club Northampton last Friday.

Oxford's players were told not to comment, but Lenagan gave an insight to the confusion at the club when he said:

"At least the situation has been resolved one way or another - or at least I think it has. It's very difficult to know what it means when you announce to the players that you are going, but I don't have a piece of paper that's a resignation."

Before Wilder released his statement Lenagan also revealed that he had not ruled out legal action:

"I have taken legal advice. It's an option that's open to us, but you've got to recognise that Chris has done very well for us for four and a half years. He's been very loyal. Whilst I'm not precluding legal action on our part, I'm not a great believer in being vindictive or difficult in these circumstances."

"Injunctions are possible, all sorts of things are possible, but Oxford United needs to move on."

Wilder took Oxford into League Two via the 2010 Conference play-off final win against York and Lenagan was thinking about appointing a successor to keep the club's promotion hopes on track before Wilder's statement. He explained:

"When we find the right one, we'll put him in place. I think there are two possible was of going forward. One of them is a short term interim position. The next one is to the end of the season. If we can find the right person quickly to take over for the rest of the season, we'll do that."

Wilder's assistant, Mickey Lewis will take over first team duties wnd, while he refused to discuss Wilder, was delighted with the players attitude against the Gulls. He said:

"It's a good three points against a team fighting for their lives in what were really horrible conditions. The wind was swirling about out there. The lads' attitude out there was first class."

Former Oxford midfielder Chris Hargreaves tasted defeat for the first time in three games since taking over as Torquay boss and groaned:

"We showed fight and the lads gave it everything they had, but we're very disappointed with the result."

Oxford United 0 Charlton Athletic 3

Yann Kermorgant picked up where he left off to dump Oxford out of the FA Cup.

Striker Kermorgant scored a last gasp equaliser to force the replay last week and then opened the scoring as the Addicks eased towards a fourth round tie at Huddersfield on Saturday.

In the 35th minute Kermorgant was fed by co-striker Simon Church on the edge of the box and rifled home a low shot that was too strong for keeper Ryan Clarke to hold.

Charlton had only won once in their previous ten outings and are just above the Championship drop zone, but Kermorgant's goal immediately settled their nerves.

Less than three minutes later Church also had a hand in Charlton's second goal.

Former Reading hit man Church took advantage of a slip by central defender Michael Raynes, but his point blank shot was parried by Clarke into the path of winger Danny Green who tapped in his second of the campaign from two yards.

Oxford have only won at home four times this season and Kermorgant made sure that poor form continued when he grabbed his eighth goal of the season in the 58th minute.

Kermorgant stepped up to fire a superb 25 yard free kick into the top right corner of the net following a foul by Oxford skipper Jake Wright.

Oxford rarely threatened in a poor game and their best effort came when striker James Constable fired a twenty yard shot straight at keeper Ben Alnwick in the dying stages.

Green nearly claimed his own brace with three minutes to go, but dragged a low shot narrowly wide of Clarke's goal from the edge of the area.

With eight minutes left, Charlton manager Chris Powell gave a debut to highly rated England U-17 midfielder Diego Poyet, son of Sunderland boss Gus.

Neither team posed a serious threat in the nervy period before Kermorgant's opener.

But Kermorgant managed to direct a weak six yard header into Clarke's arms from Callum Harriott's right wing cross in the ninth minute.

And four minutes later Church flicked another ball from winger Harriott wide of the near post.

Charlton boss Chris Powell was delighted with his team after their FA Cup win at Oxford and said:

"I thought the players put in a sterling performance and I was pleased with all aspects of our play. It was also niece to play on a decent pitch for a change.

""Yann (Kermorgant) is our talisman and that goal will also have helped his confidence."

"We need some momentum and to instil some confidence and this result should do that because Oxford are a decent side.

"We weren't under pressure with ten minutes to go and so it seemed like a good time to give Diego Poyet his first taste of first team football and so that was a bonus too.

Oxford manager Chris Wilder was left seething with his team and fumed:

"I'm disappointed because we just slipped out of the back door. For 35 minutes it was a nothing game and then two sloppy goals cost us. The free kick just showed the quality of a Championship side.

"We now have to make sure we dust ourselves down and go again in the league on Saturday. There are a lot of disappointed lads in there - and so they should be. We expect more quality than we showed tonight."

My piece from this morning's paper

Cheltenham Town 1 Accrington Stanley 2

Sunday morning's clipping

George Bowerman showed he's a cut above, but isn't modelling himself completely on boss James Beattie.

Striker Bowerman, 22, jumped head and shoulders above the home defence to nod Accrington into a 15th minute lead before revealing:

"The gaffer thinks he's the inspiration for my new haircut - he's not - but I do want to learn from him. He's played at the very top level and so I listen to every word. He's a legend, I love him, he's class. He even celebrates when he scores in training - he still loves it."

Bowerman was on the fringe of the Walsall first team, but thought he had blown his chance in the game when they trimmed him from the squad in the summer. He explained:

"Twelve games into the season I was just playing five-a-side with my mates. You don't realise until you're out of it how many people want the job and how many really good players haven't got contracts. I really loved Walsall and the people there, but maybe I took it for granted without realising it."

Joyce, 26, was delighted to head in his first of the campaign from Bowerman's cross in the 43rd minute.

Bowerman drilled in a cross from the left flank and midfielder Joyce steamed through a crowded box to head in his first of the campaign from four yards. The captain joked:

"George has scored three in six starts now and I think I'm on four in three seasons - so the next one's due in 2016."

Delighted former England striker Beattie said:

"It was a good finish from George and Joycey's got one - it's a rarity, but he's more than happy with it. The lads stood strong. I'm very proud of them.

"It's a great away performance. I asked the lads before the game how much they wanted to win and they showed me. We got off to a great start.""

Cheltenham hit man Jamie Cureton dragged Cheltenham back into the game with his sixth of the season in the 72nd minute.

Full back Craig Braham-Barrett took a long throw from the left and Cureton collected it with his back to goal before spinning and slotting in from ten yards, but manager Mark Yates fumed:

"We conceded two sloppy goals. It's not what we want the team and the club to be about. It has cost us three points.

"I hope that will hurt the players as much as it has hurt me. We warned them it was going to be tough, but they were lethargic."

Cheltenham weren't at the races and when midfielder Kemar Roofe managed to scoop a low cross from Sido Jombati over the bar from two yards in the 63rd minute, it summed up their day.

Laurence Wilson nearly gave Stanley the lead in only the fifth minute, but keeper Scott Brown managed to beat away the left back's fiercely struck 35 yard free kick.

My piece from the Monday paper

Walsall 1 Oldham Athletic 0

Sam Mantom saw off the lively Latics to edge Walsall into the play-off places.

Former Oldham loanee Mantom pounced to sweep home a defection for his third of the campaign from just inside the box in the 65th minute.

But Richard O'Donnell denied the Latics with some great saves.

In first half O'Donnell shut out striker Charlie MacDonald with his feet and after the break he beat away free kicks from James Dayton and Gary Harkins.

But O'Donnell saved his best for stoppage time when he saved a penalty from Adam Rooney after James Wesolowski was fouled by Paul Downing.

Saddlers manager Dean Smith was delighted with the win, but admitted:

"It was a very hard fought win and maybe undeserved. A draw would've been a fair result. I'm pleased with the win though because there have been many games this season when we haven't come away with the points and maybe should have done.

"It's pleasing to be in the play-offs after a hard fought win and it shows the fruits of our labour, but I thought Oldham played some terrific football."

Lee Johnson has seen his side win once in eight games, but the Oldham boss said:

"As a manager that's the sort of performance you want. Sometimes I could go in there and kill them, but they were superb tonight. You can't do much more to win a football match. We were fantastic, but if you don't score you can't win.

"I don't want to say we were unlucky, but we've had a few of them this year and could've come away with five or six more wins.

My piece from the morning paper

Richard O'Donnell in fine form

Andy Taylor hits the woodwork

Oxford United 0 Portsmouth 0

My clipping from the Sunday edition

Nicky Shorey is sure both his new club and his old one have enough to survive the drop.

Shorey, 32, joined Portsmouth's scrap to stay in the football league last week when he signed from Bristol City who are facing their own relegation battle in League One. The former England defender said:

"There's a great feeling of togetherness here and I think this game showed that we're all in it together. We want to get up the table as quickly as we can and grow as a team. I'm sure we can do that."

And Shorey revealed there were no hard feelings towards former club City and manager Steve Cotterill. He revealed:

"Steve Cotterill was really straight with me and honest as well. He tried to help me so I've got nothing but respect for him and I think they'll do well under him too."

Meanwhile Oxford new boy Nicky Wroe, 28, already has an eye on glory after signing from Preston on loan for the rest of the campaign and he sees similarities with the Shrewsbury side he won promotion with in 2012. He revealed:

"This team's just as strong as that team. We've got a good chance. There's enough quality in this squad to go out and challenge and there's no reason why we can't be up there. I'm going for another promotion definitely."

Pompey were lucky to survive a late scare when Oxford defender Johnny Mullins fired in a long range volley in the dying seconds, but keeper Trevor Carson was alert to the threat.

Oxford had the better chances in a poor game and both full backs came close to scoring in the space of three minutes.

Left back Tom Newey nodded over a Danny Rose corner from eight yards in the 32nd minute and David Hunt curled a free kick just over the bar after Shorey had fouled winger Sean Rigg on the edge of the 'D'.

Winger Jed Wallace had Portsmouth's best effort before the break, but blasted wildly over from the edge of the box.

Oxford manager Chris Wilder was pleased to see his play-off contenders avoid losing a third successive home game, but admitted:

"We're just looking for a spark or a little bit of magic from somewhere to get our noses in front.It was a tough game. They gave their all for their football club and my lads gave their all for our football club. It just seemed to miss that little bit of magic. We've just got to keep going - it's a long season.""

Richie Barker has only won one of six games since taking over as Pompey boss and said:

"It's not our job to come away and entertain other people's fans. It's our job to grind out results and become more difficult to beat. I'm pleased that we've kept three clean sheets in four."

Barker made five changes to his starting line up and Portsmouth have now only won one league game in the last eleven, but the manager was still positive despite being one point above the relegation places. He said:

"I don't think we'll be selling too many DVDs of that one, but it's our job to grind out results and make sure we're a difficult team to beat. I'm pleased the players didn't roll over and die. Away from home we did what was necessary against a team who have been in the promotion or play-off places for most of the season."

My piece from the Monday paper

Bristol City 1 Watford 1

JET kept City in the Cup and believes that Steve Cotterill's young guns are ready for blast off.

Striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas - known as JET - cancelled out Sean Murray's 84th minute opener within sixty seconds when substitute winger Wes Burns, 18, teed him up to tap in his eighteenth goal of the season from two yards.

And JET, 23, praised Burns and rookie 20-year old midfielders, Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan. He said:

"They're all great local lads so it's good to see them getting their opportunities and taking them. They find me a lot with the ball and so I hope they keep progressing the way they are."

My piece from the Sunday edition

JET also revealed new boss Steve Cotterill has had a positive effect since taking over from Sean O'Driscoll last month. He explained:

"The boys' spirits have gone up a notch. Everyone is buying into what the manager wants, so we're all playing with more confidence at the moment."

Liam Fontaine played only three days after returning from a four month loan spell with Yeovil and the central defender backed JET's judgment. He said:

"It feels like a new club. The atmosphere is good - it's like the Bristol City of old. There's a big difference and I think that's down to the gaffer coming in with a new philosophy - his whole persona, his passion. He builds you up for games and training a well. When I came off he said well done and that he was buzzing for me. Just to get a pat on the back from time to time is good - very good."

Cotterill was happy with the draw, but said:

"I don’t think we deserved to fall behind. I thought we were the better team, had the better chances and played really well. To go down that late in the game, having been in control for most of it against a really good Championship outfit, we showed fantastic character to come back when we had to.

"It was a difficult game for us, but we made it a difficult one for them as well, and we’re looking forward to going there now for the replay. Even though it’s another game, we’re delighted to still be in the cup."

"I thought we deserved to nick it at the end, but it was a good game and we showed good character after going down so late on. When I asked Wes if he was going to make an impact he said 'yes'. Thankfully that happened.

"We are a League One club and the sooner we accept it, the better, but we want to make it to the Championship and then the Premier League."

Watford manager Beppe Sannino took over from Gianfranco Zola last month and, after this third draw in a four game unbeaten run, already likes what he sees. He said:

"The main positive for me is that, although we are struggling with numbers, we came to play. I know now that we have extraordinary guys. I know we can play better, but we are on a tough schedule of games and I am looking forward to a free week to work with the players."

 It was the Italian's first taste of FA Cup football and he conceded:

"It was a fair result and we have to give credit to Bristol. We weren't able to hold on to the advantage, but they deserved to equalise. I've followed this competition and I was aware that playing a team one league below is never going to be easy. I was prepared.

Sannino also praised midfielder Lewis McCugan who kept City on the back foot for most of the game despite playing with a stomach bug and being physically sick at the break. He said:

"McGugan had problems at half time so I knew he wasn't one hundred percent and so I'm very pleased with him."

My clipping from this morning's paper

Oxford United 0 Scunthorpe United 2

Deon Burton went from hero to zero, but still helped Scunthorpe leapfrog their promotion rivals.

Former Jamaica striker Burton nodded in his fifth of the season in the eleventh minute.

Oxford skipper Jake Wright gave the ball away to Sean McAllister in the centre circle who teed up winger Marcus Williams on the right flank to pick out an unmarked Burton eight yards from goal.

Midfielder David Syers took advantage of another defensive lapse to seal the win in the 72nd minute.

Central defender Johnny Mullins mistimed a clearance and Syers raced on to the loose ball before lifting it over keeper Ryan Clarke from the edge of the area.

But Burton's day took a nosedive after his goal.

Five minutes before the break Burton, 37, had a spot kick beaten away by Clarke after striker Deane Smalley had handled.

On the hour he failed to head in a left wing cross from full back Eddie Nolan when, again, unmarked and only three yards out.

And in the 65th minute he managed to side foot a shot wide of Clarke's goal from the edge of the box with only the keeper to beat.

Scunthorpe boss Russ Wilcox was given the job on a full time basis on Christmas Eve and was delighted with his team's fifth win in a seven game unbeaten stretch since he took over from Brian Laws. He said:

"I thought we were outstanding and I'm a very proud man. We don't fear anyone at this level and if we maintain this belief we're going to take some stopping. My only disappointment is that we weren't out of sight, but we're going to enjoy this moment."

Oxford had a chance to pull one back from the spot themselves seven minutes from time, but Slocombe got up to save Smalley's penalty after he had brought down striker James Constable five yards out.

Oxford slipped out of the promotion places and furious manager Chris Wilder blasted:

"It was by far and away the worst performance of the season. I've massively got the hump. The players have to show a reaction."

My piece from the morning paper