| RESULT | 1 - 1 Platt's job could yet be on the line... |
| TEAM |
Folland, Weatherstone R, Watson, Whelan, McGowan Robinson Murphy, Beauchamp Lilley, Anthrobus |
| SUBS | Powell (for Folland, 57)
Cook (for Anthrobus, 57) Fear (for Weatherstone R, ) Arendse, Weatherstone S (not used) |
| GOALS | 0-1 FREEDMAN (40) - A Doig cross was played
on by Scimeca, and a bullet shot from Freedman hit the net.
1-1 POWELL (75) - Gained the ball from a throw in, and blasted home from 25 yards. An amazing goal. |
| PERFORMANCE | Forest took deserved lead in the first half, but Oxford came back strongly in the second. A draw was fair. |
| MAN OF MATCH | |
| BOOKINGS | Derek LILLEY (81) |
| ATTENDANCE | 8,079 - What no fans? Are Forest really a big club? Or was it the crazy Friday evening timing? |
| REFEREE | Andy D'Urso (Billericay) - A reasonable match, although failed to give Cook advantage when clean through. |
| REPORTS | Oxford sites
From The TerraceForest sites Forza Forest ("Forest not even good enough for rubbish Oxford")Football sites Football 365 ("More frustration for Platt")Newspapers Daily Telegraph ("Powell strike adds to Platt's gloom") |
U's snatch replay
Oxford grabbed a late equaliser through substitute Paul Powell
to snatch a 1-1 draw with
Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup Third Round at the City Ground.
Forest dominated the early stages with the first chance falling
to Stern John in the opening
seconds but his tame shot trickled through to Paul Lundin in
the Oxford net.
John and Dougie Freedman were linking well and it was the duo
who combined for the next
opening created by David Platt's men.
Freedman slipped the ball to the Trinidad and Tobago international
who skipped past one and
fired in a shot from the edge of the box which was spilt by
the Oxford keeper, who gathered it at
the second attempt.
The U's were struggling to find their feet and the Forest backline
were largely untroubled in the
early stages.
Forest were in total control and Paul Lundin made saves from
Freedman and Bart-Williams,
before the recalled Dougie Freedman shot his side in front on
39 minutes
Ricky Scimeca's long ball was missed by the U's defence and
the ball fell to Freedman who
lashed home his ninth goal of the season.
Oxford struggled to get out of their own half at times and Forest
almost grabbed a second when
Prutton's shot was well saved by Lundin.
Forest continued to dominate proceedings but were unable to
put the ball in the back of the net
and Oxford found themselves just one goal down at half-time.
David Platt's men continued in the same vein during the second
and almost extended their lead
through Freedman who got on the end of a superb ball from Andy
Gray only to fire straight at
Lundin.
Oxford, on a rare forray into the Forest half, almost pulled
themselves back into the game, when a
mistake from Ricky Scimeca allowed Joey Beachamp through on
goal but his shot flew just wide.
Forest were failing to make their possession acount and saw
a succession of chances go
begging before Oxford equalised on 75 minutes through substitute
Paul Powell, who curled home
a beauty from the edge of the box.
A frantic closing period saw both side go close to edging a
victory but Second Division Oxford
will be the happier with a draw and replay at the Manor Ground,
while David Platt will come under
increasing pressure in the Forest hot-seat.
This page is maintained by James Beard.