| RESULT | 4 - 3 to the Royals. Late goals conceded again. |
| TEAM |
Robertson, Richardson, Linighan, Jarman, McGowan Murphy, Weatherstone S, Fear Anthrobus, Lilley |
| SUBS | Folland (for Robertson, 84)
Beauchamp, Glass, Omoyinmi, Whitehead (not used) |
| GOALS | 0 - 1 Caskey (28) - Penalty. Clumsy challenge
by Jarman on Caskey, who got up and scored from the spot.
1 - 1 LILLEY (40) - Whitehead failed to hold a back-header, and the eager Lilley pounced on the ball. 1 - 2 Cureton (68) - Knight saved a shot from Caskey, but Cureton was first to react to the rebound. 2 - 2 VIVEASH O.G. (69) - Sliced the ball into his own net from a headed Jarman cross. 3 - 2 RICHARDSON (73) - Headed home a free kick from Peter Fear. 3 - 3 Rougier (78) - Bundled home a Lee Hodges corner. 3 - 4 Rougier (87) - Linighan, otherwise impressive, cleared a McIntyre cross straight to Rougier. |
| PERFORMANCE | Oxford put up a spirited performance in a high-tmpo derby, but defensive errors proved decisive. |
| MAN OF MATCH | Peter FEAR - Joe Kinnear's presence is definitely having one good effect. It's got Peter Fear playing. |
| BOOKINGS | Steve ANTHROBUS (30) - Foul.
Jon RICHARDSON (37) - Foul. Neil McGOWAN (81) - Foul. Peter FEAR (90) - Foul. |
| ATTENDANCE | 16,022 - Highest crowd of the season so far in this division, including almost 1500 Oxford fans. |
| REFEREE | P Jones (Loughborough) |
| REPORTS | Oxford sites
From The TerraceReading sites Hob Nob Anyone?Football sites Football NewsNewspapers Guardian ("Oxford still waiting for Godot") |
Goals from Derek Lilley, Jon Richardson and an Adrian Viveash own goal
were not enough to prevent the U's slipping to a 4-3 defeat by Reading.
It was the home side who took the lead after 28 minutes when Lee Jarman
brought down Darren Caskey in the box and the former Spurs man stepped
up to rifle home from the penalty spot.
Five minutes before the break Oxford were level when a long ball from
the back caught the Royals defence napping and when Phil Whithead failed
to hold onto the ball Derek Lilley pounced to prod the ball home.
With the scores level at half-time the second half went goal crazy,
with Reading retaking the lead after Adrian Viveash's header was saved
by Richard Knight but Jamie Cureton was on hand to slam the ball home.
Oxford were level just 60 seconds later when Viveash headed Lee Jarman's
free-kick into his own net.
The U's then went in front for the first time when Jon Richardson glanced
home Peter Fear's corner to put his side 3-2 ahead.
It then became the Tony Rougier show as the Reading substitute first
touched home Lee Hodges corner and then in the dying stages pounced on
Andy Linighan's mistake to fire the winner that broke Oxford hearts and
sent the Royals to the top of Division Two.
This page is maintained by James Beard.