Accrington provide an ideal opportunity for Oxford to release their Good Friday frustration

Despite matching League One automatic promotion contenders Sunderland for much of their Good Friday fixture at the Stadium of Light, Oxford United were left reeling at how much of the afternoon panned out.

Two goals in the final 10 minutes saw the Yellows fall to a 3-1 defeat, but it was events that took place off the pitch that were of greater concern.

Oxford United head coach Karl Robinson was sent to the stands by referee Trevor Kettle in the aftermath of Aiden McGeady’s goal that gave the home side a late lead, following on from an incident in the tunnel at half-time that saw police called after an alleged headbutt on goalkeeper Jack Stevens.

There was reportedly further aggravation between the two benches following the final whistle once Sunderland midfielder Max Power had celebrated his game-clinching goal in front of the Oxford dugout.

“The result will say different and it’s all about the result, but I’m proud of my players and they’ll gain confidence from this.

“There was an anger because we played well enough to get something out of the game.

“The frustration is that when your players give you everything and things go against them, you feel for them.”

– Oxford United Head Coach Karl Robinson speaking to The Oxford Mail

The incidents overshadowed what was largely an impressive performance from Robinson’s Yellows.

Despite being without Sam Long, Josh Ruffels and Alex Gorrin through injury, Oxford were more than a match for Lee Johnson’s side, an impressive feat considering the Black Cats have lost just two games since the turn of the year.

James Henry’s first-half strike had given them the lead against the third tier’s in-form team, and they continued to have chances to score in the second period despite conceding an equaliser to Lyndon Gooch on the stroke of half-time and having Mark Sykes sent off after receiving a second yellow card in the 61st minute.

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Even though Robinson described the fixture as a free hit in the build-up to the game, the final result contributed to an inconsistent run of three wins from their last seven games that have prevented the Yellows from making a place in the top six their own.

The defeat saw them fall to 11th in the league, four points shy of the final Play-Off spot, and with only eight games left to play getting back to winning ways as soon as possible will be imperative if they want to extend their season.

Therefore the visit of Accrington Stanley to the Kassam Stadium on Monday could be a welcome sight.

Although Stanley had an impressive start to the season that saw them establish themselves as contenders for promotion, a run of just two wins in their last 11 games has seen John Coleman’s side plummet into mid-table.

Injuries to on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Nathan Baxter, defensive stalwart Mark Hughes and midfielder Joe Pritchard have stretched an already small squad to its limit, and it has therefore been no great surprise that results have dipped in recent weeks.

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Last weekend’s 7-0 defeat at Peterborough was the low point of their recent struggles, although the fact they are comfortably clear of the relegation zone despite having one of the smallest budgets in League One means that this season will likely be seen as a successful one regardless of what happens in what remains of the campaign.

“I am pleased with the effort our lads have shown all season, you can’t fault that, they have ran through brick walls for us. We are thin on the ground but the lads called into play have done the same, so I have got no complaints on the score of effort.

“It’s frustrating as some of the goals we have conceded are silly but that’s the nature of football, I think most goals are conceded by mistakes and we have got to try and eliminate the mistakes we are making.”

– Accrington Stanley Manager John Coleman speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph

Coleman’s side were held to a 0-0 draw in their Good Friday fixture against Burton Albion, and even though they had 25 shots on goal without scoring, they restricted Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s resurgent Brewers to little as they kept their first clean sheet in 12 games.

When these two sides last met back in September, Oxford ran out 4-1 winners at the Wham Stadium but only after a bizarre incident that resulted in their players having to travel from the team hotel to the ground in taxis after the club’s self-sanitising bus malfunctioned and failed to start on the day of the game.

With the off-field issues experienced in their game at Sunderland on Friday, and the last time they faced Accrington, Robinson and Oxford will be hoping for a more straightforward and enjoyable afternoon on Easter Monday.

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