A Rolls Royce performance from Bentley

The JPT fixture last night wasn't one I had been looking forward to, but in the end it turned out to be a really entertaining game with several twists and turns.

Oxford only seemed to wake up after Southend striker Barry Corr had scored the opener and by half time they were a goal to the good following a first senior goal from Tyronne Marsh and another from strike partner Tom Craddock. At this point I felt that Oxford looked as though they could book their way into the area final with a degree of comfort.

Oxford started the second half brightly, but then wobbled when Sean Clohessy took advantage of a weak header from O'Brien.

Within five minutes former Swindon hit man Corr had put Southend ahead prompting another re-write from 'yours truly'.

At least it wasn't going to go to penalties I thought ... seconds before Sean Rigg's 89th minute equaliser.

At this point my finger moved from the 'send' button to the 'delete' button and I was on the phone to the sports desk when Southend boss Paul Sturrock made what appeared to be one of the strangest substituions I have witnessed.

In the 93rd minute and with the game obviously moving towards penalties (they don't do extra time in the JPT), Sturrock hauled off keeper Paul Smith and sent on rookie Daniel Bentley, 19.

Bentley had - it turned out - saved three penalties in an earlier round, but it still seemed to be a real slap in the face for Smith, 33, who Sturrock signed in the summer and who had once been acquired by Nottingham Forest for a fee of £500k.

Fortunately for Sturrock, Bentley came up trumps and saved Alfie Potter's penalty allowing sub Elliot Benyon to send Southend through.

So was it good management? A good decision on the night, no doubt. No-one can say whether Smith would have done better and Sturrock pointed to Bentley's save to give weight to his decision, but will it stand the test of time. How much damage has Sturrock done to his relationship with Smith?

When I asked about Smith, Sturrock admitted that he should have probably "marked his card" as he had been thinking about making the substitution if it came to penalties.

I also saw Smith after the game, but he politely declined to say anything ... unsurprisingly! I spoke to a friend of his though who said that while he was angry, Smith was also pleased that the team had won the game and so - in my opinion - was already showing what a good pro he is.

Sturrock didn't leave on the team bus and so both he and Smith have had time to collect their thoughts, but it's now down to Sturrock to show his talent as a manger and make sure Smith is onside as they focus on promotion from League Two ... which is arguably more important than an area final of the JRT.

Oxford United 3 Southend United 3 (Southend win 5-3 on pens)

Daniel Bentley was the penalty shoot out hero after coming on as a 93rd minute sub.

Paul Sturrock replaced unhappy first choice stopper Paul Smith who stormed down the tunnel, but rookie Bentley repaid his manager's faith by saving winger Alfie Potter's spot kick.

Fellow substitute Elliot Benyon then sealed the win by burying the Shrimps fifth penalty. 

Sean Rigg grabbed a last gasp Oxford equaliser.

Rigg headed in Tony Capaldi's 89th minute corner, but must have been as shocked as everyone else when Southend manager Paul Sturrock pulled Smith off in the 93rd minute.

Barry Corr curled in a 59th minute goal for his seventh of the campaign and looked to have sealed the tie.

Corr opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he out jumped the defence to head Kevan Hurst's free kick from eight yards.

Less than eight minutes later rookie hit man Tyronne Marsh, 19, levelled by nodding in his first senior goal in his second start from six yards.

Striker Tom Craddock notched up his twelfth goal of the season in the 32nd minute when he raced on to Simon Heslop's superb fifty yard pinpoint pass to lob stopper Paul Smith.

But full back Sean Clohessy pulled the Shrimps back into the game by curling in his second of the season in the 54th minute.

Sturrock was a relieved man and explained:

"In one of the rounds before he saved three penalties and so I had it in my mind to bring him in. Paul isn't happy at the moment and maybe I should have marked his card, but we won the game. He's a big boy and will get over it.

If Daniel hadn't saved it some people would have pointed the finger at me, but it all worked out."

Bentley admitted:

"I was as surprised as anyone, but credit also goes to Paul as he kept us in the game.

I haven't seen anything like it before, but if I'm called upon I'm always ready and I'm really pleased I saved the penalty."

Oxford assistant boss Mickey Lewis said:

"It was a really good game against one of the best teams in our league, but I felt we weren't good enough on the break.

I think the lads deserved the draw after 90 minutes though."

My piece from the morning paper

Beaten but unbowed

From an Oxford supporter's point of view, Saturday's performance wasn't as bad as the result makes it look and there were some positives to be taken from the game.

First of all, Michael Duberry came through his second game in one week and looked good. 

I had a quick chat with Dubes after he had warmed down and he told me that the neck and head felt fine. He was disappointed to be out of the Cup, but you could see how delighted he was to be playing again after seven months out and he could well be vital to Oxford's promotion or play-off chances.

I remember James Constable telling me about six weeks ago that he felt that Oxford were still in the hunt if they put a good run together. Well they seem to be doing that and Duberry's experience and classy defending should only serve as a boost to the squad.

Despite a glaring miss on Saturday, I also think that Justin Richards could prove to be a canny buy.

When he was asked to describe Saturday's 'sitter' he responded by asking whether we wanted to hear the PG or X-rated version! He was obviously unhappy about it, but while watching him play, I felt that he put in a good hard-working shift and created a fair bit of room for Tom Craddock who - if it hadn't been for some good goalkeeping by George Long - might have had a couple of goals himself.

In the absence of Constable, Richards has the experience to keep things tickling over and by his own admission he is in the shop window. At 29 years of age, he knows it is important that he shows what he can do to find himself another club when his Burton contract runs out in the summer.

This may not ultimately be at Oxford, but by signing a player who is hungry to secure his future, I think Chris Wilder might just have pulled off a mini masterstroke.

The feeling in the Oxford camp on Saturday evening seemed to one of "we gave it a good go, we played well, but the league is our priority - bring it on".

A final word for the fans at the Kassam on Saturday. They were great in support of the U's and I was especially pleased to see them stand up and applaud Sheffield full back Matthew Hill who had obviously hurt himself in a clash of heads and was carted off to hospital for a CT scan.

They weren't quite so forgiving of the referee however, but then again, I also lost count of the number of players and staff members from both clubs who quietly (and not so quietly in some cases!) questioned his ability after the game. 

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

Birmingham City 0 Cardiff City 1

Jack Butland's unfortunate gaffe gifted promotion favourites Cardiff a win against the battling Brummie babes.

Butland has been strongly tipped with a £5 million move to Southampton in this month's transfer window, but may not have impressed watching scouts with his part in Cardiff's winner.

Striker Joe Mason sealed a fourth victory on the bounce for the Championship leaders four minutes before half time.

England keeper Butland saved a low shot from winger Craig Conway, but only managed to knock the ball back into the danger area and Mason pounced to plunder his fifth goal of the campaign from ten yards.

But manager Lee Clark defended his stopper and was still pleased with his side. He said:

"It was a freak goal. The ball hit Jack's heel, hit him on the back of the head and landed at Mason's feet.

"The performance out there - individually and collectively - was excellent. My only little criticism would be that we tried to walk the ball into the net rather than pull the trigger, but I can't be upset with what my players gave me today."

The win gave Cardiff a seven point cushion at the top of the table.

Cash-strapped Birmingham boss Lee Clark will be hoping to strengthen his squad with funds made available by the transfer of Butland and he needs some experienced heads.

Clark was forced to play SIX teenagers against the Championship leaders and was also forced to bump up untried nineteen year old reserve Marcel Henry-Francis to the bench when he lost midfielder Hayden Mullins in the warm up.

And the youngsters did their boss proud by putting in the sort of shift they will need to climb away from the threat of relegation.

Experienced defender Curtis Davies, 27, kept Birmingham in the game less than two minutes after the break when he cleared a twelve yard strike from Conway off his goal line with Butland beaten.

Clark's kids had the better of the first half before Mason's goal and came closest to breaking the deadlock.

In the fifteenth minute nineteen year old West Ham loanees Ravel Morrison and Rob Hall linked up to feed winger Wade Elliott, 34, but the 'old man' of the team fired narrowly wide from just inside the box.

Five minutes later striker Nathan Redmond, 18, forced keeper David Marshall to save a shot from the right angle of the area at foot of his near post.

And in the 37th minute Marshall was called on to punch clear Hall's goal bound free kick from the right flank.

Bluebird's chief Malky Mackay was pleased with the win and said:

"To have four wins out of our over the festive period - we couldn't ask for anything more. And to come away with a tenth clean sheet of the season is something we're absolutely delighted about. It was a tough game and we had to battle for what we got."

My piece from this morning's paper

Cheltenham Town 4 Wycombe Wanderers 0

Jake Taylor ran wretched Wycombe ragged to get Cheltenham's promotion push back on track.

Loanee winger Taylor scored his first Robins' goal and made another to help his team to a first win in four and move them to second place in the table.

Taylor joined Cheltenham from Reading in early November on a two month deal, but boss Mark Yates will be hoping to extend the deal until the end of the season on this performance.

In the 29th minute full back Sido Jombati nodded an overhead clearance to Taylor and he rifled in a volley from the right angle of the box.

Portuguese full back Jombati then sent over a inch perfect cross for striker Jeff Goulding to nod in his third of the season from eight yards.

Nine minutes after the break hard grafting Taylor set up striker Darryl Duffy for a third.

Goulding picked Taylor out on the left wing and his cross found Duffy unmarked at the far post to head in his second goal of the campaign.

Jermaine McGlashan added number four in the 70th minute.

Midfielder Darren Carter dribbled his way into the area before sending a low ball across the face of goal and winger McGlashan back-heeled home for his third of the season from one yard.

Wycombe could have been really embarrassed, but keeper Jordan Archer kept the score down with a sting of excellent saves including two at full stretch from Taylor and Carter.

Yates was delighted to see his side bounce back from last Friday's 1-4 drubbing at Rochdale and said:

"It was a case of the boys putting right what was wrong then. They showed grit and determination."

Wycombe player-manager Gareth Ainsworth said:

"We're gutted, but it was a fair result and we'll take it on the chin."

My piece from the morning paper

Walsall 1 Colchester United 0

Febian Brandy lifted Walsall's spirits after clinching a first win in SEVENTEEN outings.

Brandy netted his second league goal for the Saddlers in the 62nd minute.

West Brom loanee midfielder Sam Mantom threaded the ball through to Brandy just inside the box and the striker ghosted by two defenders before rolling the ball past keeper Mark Cousins.

Former youth prospect and summer signing Brandy, 23, then said:

"I was at United from the age of eight until I was twenty, but then had a year and a half out with an injury and ended up sleeping on a mate's couch in Greece. I was left feeling pretty disenchanted. I didn't know what I wanted to do, but it didn't involve football.

"Sir Alex called me up twice. The first time was for a chat and the second time was a real bollocking for not finding myself a club. When someone like Sir Alex takes time out of his schedule to call you and tell you to sort your head out and get back in the game, you listen.

"If you don't take the mickey with him, he'll always be there to look out for you and I'll always be grateful to him."

And Brandy - who represented England at under-16 through to under-20 level - revealed that Ferguson wasn't the only one giving support from Old Trafford. He said:

"Mike Phelan, Paul McGuiness the youth team coach and mates like Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley also called to keep my spirits up. Ole Gunnar Solskjær even phoned from Norway where he is manager of Molde to make sure I got back on track.

"The club also gave me medical help and inserted a plate in my foot to help with an injury I'd been trying to deal with myself."
But Cousins had looked as though he would help Colchester to their first point in five games.

Three minutes into the second half Cousins pulled off a brilliant double-save as Walsall dominated the game.

Winger Jamie Paterson crossed from the right and Cousins saved striker Will Grigg's point blank shot from twelve yards at full stretch before jumping up to block Brandy's follow up effort at the foot of his post.

Colchester came close to snatching a point in the 90th minute, but central defender Josh Thompson nodded Brian Wilson's free kick on to the top of the bar from twelve yards.

Both sides hit the crossbar before half time and Brandy could have nabbed a hat trick.

On the half hour MK Dons loanee striker Jabo Ibehre latched on to a long ball forward from full back John White, but saw his chip come back off the woodwork.

And in the 42nd minute Cousins did well to tip defender Andy Taylor's in swinging corner onto the top of the bar.

In the second minute Cousins did well to shut out Brandy from two yards.

Ten minutes later Brandy raced to the edge of the U's box from half way, but central defender Tom Eastman deflected the shot inches wide.

And in the 27th minute co-striker Craig Westcarr split the Colchester defence with a pass to the right of the box that Brandy dragged just wide of the far post.

Delighted Walsall boss Dean Smith said:

"I felt we deserved to win and thankfully we crossed the line. It was hard out there and we adapted well to the conditions. That's now one defeat in six league games.

"I'm really pleased that we were able to get the three points. We deserved to win; there were a few hairy moments towards the end, but, on the whole, it was a deserved victory."
Colchester manager Joe Dunne groaned:

"It's exceptionally tight at the bottom, but we just need a break. We have to keep going though and we will strengthen the squad.

The players are down at the moment because they don't like losing, but after a couple of days with their families at Christmas, hopefully that will kick-start them again."

My piece from the Sunday paper ...

... and from this morning's edition

Swindon Town 5 Tranmere Rovers 0

Andy Williams grabbed a brace as Paolo Di Canio's rampant Robins terrorised table toppers Tranmere.

But it was Charlton loanee Danny Hollands who sparked a goal rush that moved Swindon into the play-off places.

Midfielder Hollands was snapped up on a two month deal in early November by manager Di Canio and he netted his first goal for the club in the fourth minute.

Hollands low shot from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection off hapless midfielder Liam Palmer to leave keeper Owain Fon Williams wrong-footed.

Fon Williams was then the victim of another deflected goal three minutes later as Raffaele De Vita chalked up his seventh goal of the season.

Winger De Vita cut in from the left and his low shot hit full back Danny Holmes to leave Fon Williams helpless again.

In the 21st minute Williams scored his first from twelve yards.

Defender Nathan Thompson cut the ball back from the right and Williams stroked in his fifth league goal since joining Di Canio's County Ground revolution from Yeovil in the summer.

In the 33rd minute winger Matt Ritchie added number four.

Fon Williams did brilliantly to beat away a twelve yard drive from striker Williams, but Swindon's leading scorer Ritchie blasted in the rebound from just inside the box for his ninth of the campaign.

And Williams scored his second six minutes after the break and seal Rovers' second defeat in eleven games.

Ritchie stole the ball in midfield and raced forward before feeding Williams who drilled in a low shot from fourteen yards.

Williams blew the chance of a hat trick when he had a 62nd minute penalty saved brilliantly by Fon Williams after striker Chris Martin was tripped in the box by substitute Donovan Daniels.

Incredibly, Fon Williams was Tranmere's best player and pulled off a string of great saves to prevent Swindon hitting double figures as his team mates were left red-faced.

Di Canio was delighted with the win, but said:

"It was a fantastic game, but we have done nothing and have to keep going. We are only half way thought the season.

I was sure we would win this game, but not in this manner."

Stunned Tranmere manager Ronnie Moore groaned:

"I didn't see that coming. I know it's nearly Christmas, but we were like Santa Claus giving away presents at the back. We were all over the place."

My piece from the morning paper

Oxford United 2 Accrington Stanley 0

James Constable kept his lucky Cup streak going to set up a third round home tie with Sheffield United.

Constable headed in his third FA Cup goal in as many games in the 66th minute.

Leeds loanee keeper Paul Rachubka did superbly to turn a low Constable shot past the post, but the striker then buried Peter Leven's corner from eight yards.

In the 79th minute Constable returned the favour.

Stanley failed to clear their lines and Constable teed up former MK Dons midfielder Leven to volley in his third of the season from the edge of the box.

Democratic Republic of Congo full back Aristote Nsiala had kept the scores level in an otherwise poor game with two excellent goal line clearances in the space of one minute.

Nsiala stretched to block Constable's low shot in the 19th minute and then nodded Michael Raynes header clear from the resulting corner.

Oxford assistant manager Mickey Lewis was pleased with the result, but admitted:

"Both teams are known to play football, but the pitch didn't help either of us.

The lads are a good bunch of professionals though and we wore them down eventually.

The important thing was to get through to the next round which we did."

Stanley boss Leam Richardson said:

"Both teams were tying to earn the right to play, but the goals eventually took their toll on us. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but my players gave it all they had.

We went in at half time quite confident, but we lost both central defenders to injury and had to reshuffle against a good Oxford side." 

My piece from the morning paper

Cheltenham Town 1 Port Vale 1

Louis Dodds is ready to step out of Tom Pope's shadow to drive Vale's promotion push.

Co-striker Pope has already raced to twenty-one goals this season, but Dodds made sure of a draw against fellow contenders Cheltenham and joked:

"He's had too much glory so far - now it's my turn."

Dodds, 26, pounced to level with his fifth of the season in the 67th minute after Robins keeper Scott Brown had blocked Pope's header and revealed:

"It's great playing alongside him. He's an unselfish player and a good guy, but it's my job to pick up the pieces.

"I hadn't scored since September and so I think, subconsciously, it was starting to get to me. It wouldn't have mattered if it had come off my backside, I just needed to get back on the scoresheet.

"As a striker though you are always going to go through patches when you don't score and so you just have to keep plugging away."

Midfielder Darren Carter,28, opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the season five minutes earlier.

Striker Chris Zebroski's low shot was blocked by full back Richard Duffy, but Carter pounced to drill home from ten yards.

Carter is hoping to play a part in taking the Robins up this season even though his six month deal ends in January. He said:

"I'll be speaking with the gaffer. I've loved it here. We're on a roll and when you're on a roll you want to stay to be part of it and finish the job."

Vale substitute Chris Shuker made sure of the draw in injury time by clearing off the line twice in a matter of seconds from Darryl Duffy and Jeff Goulding.

Cheltenham should have sealed the win before Dodds's equaliser.

Three minutes after the break, full back Billy Jones saw his angled shot hit the inside of the post before being cleared.

And keeper Chris Neal palmed away a header at full stretch from midfielder Jake Taylor in the 58th minute.

Brown saved twice in three first half minutes keep the scores level.

In the 19th minute Brown turned central defender John McCombe's volley from two yards past the post and then beat away a fierce 25 yard drive from former Cheltenham team mate Ashley Vincent.

Cheltenham manager Mark Yates said:

"I'm delighted with the performance and the number of chances we created. We kept going right to the 93rd minute. We're just a bit shell-shocked we didn't win the game to be honest. I thought we were excellent and deserved it, but you don't always get what you deserve. Everyone to a man had a decent game and we were really good value."

Manager Micky Adams was pleased with the point, but said:

"We'll know how good it is at he end of the season. It feels like a decent result because Cheltenham are a good side. We could have won it and we could have lost it. It's a point on the board."

My piece from Sunday's paper ...

... and Monday's