Oxford hoping for final day dramatics to earn a shot at play-off redemption

After making a slow start for the third year in a row, Oxford United have kept their season alive until the final day.

A campaign that has been defined by heroic comeback wins just as much as it has by unexpected, disappointing defeats will either come to an end on Sunday afternoon or extend into the off-season, providing an opportunity to return to the second tier of English football for the first time since 1999.

Four wins in their last five games has left Oxford just a single point behind sixth-placed Portsmouth going into the final weekend. The U’s host Burton Albion knowing that if they can better Pompey’s result against Accrington and eighth-placed Charlton fail to beat league-winners Hull, it will mean they reach the play-offs for a second consecutive season.

Defeat in last season’s final against Wycombe Wanderers, combined with injuries and departures in the summer transfer window, contributed heavily towards the slow start to the campaign. It is therefore understandable that it has taken until the second half of the season for Karl Robinson’s side to really hit their stride.

Last weekend’s 3-2 win at Shrewsbury was typical of the self-inflicted drama Oxford have experienced in recent weeks. Despite taking a third-minute lead at Montgomery Waters Meadow through Elliot Lee, the U’s found themselves 2-1 down to a team that had won just two of their last nine games, only for late goals from James Henry and Dan Agyei to keep hopes of promotion alive.

“Saturday at Shrewsbury has given us a chance and for this team, two consecutive seasons to achieve what we have done and to get 70 plus points again, equalling the biggest away win record that we set last season, the longest winning run in the club’s history, biggest points total at this level since 1996, overachieving the budget again, selling players for millions of pounds: it has been exceptional.

“At times people have been frustrated but the passion by the people wearing the yellow shirt, and those supporting them has been amazing. It gives each of us a real sense of pride to have stuck together for this long.”

– Oxford United Head Coach Karl Robinson

Although destiny is out of their hands on Sunday, last week’s win, combined with a similarly late come-from-behind victory against Gillingham three weeks ago, means that Oxford have plenty of experience of dramatic afternoons heading into this season’s finale.

A further boost is that the U’s go into the Burton game with no new injury concerns. On Thursday, it was announced that midfielder Marcus McGuane would be returning to the club on a permanent basis after a deal was agreed with Nottingham Forest for the currently injured loanee.

Even though Burton travel to the Kassam Stadium with little more than pride to play for, the fact that they can enjoy a relaxing end to the campaign is a testament to the work that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has done since returning to the club as manager in January.

The former Chelsea and Leeds striker was in the stands to watch the Brewers’ 5-1 home defeat to Oxford on the opening weekend of the New Year, and at that point, the Staffordshire side found themselves bottom of the League One table and eight points from safety.

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A transformative recruitment drive in the January transfer window as well as the work of Hasselbaink and his assistant Dino Maamria on the training pitch has seen Burton evolve into a very different outfit though.

A run of nine wins in the new manager’s first 11 games in charge all but secured Burton’s third tier status by the middle of March, and although their recent form has been less consistent, there can be little doubt that they have been one of the most impressive sides in League One in the second part of this season.

Even though the wins have somewhat dried up for the Brewers since safety was secured, they have lost just one of their previous nine games and will no doubt be keen on avenging the heavy defeat they suffered at the hands of Robinson’s side in the reverse fixture.

Their hopes of ending the season with three points will be dented by the absence of midfielder Ryan Edwards due to a hamstring injury and Sean Clare, who is unable to play as he is on loan at the Pirelli Stadium from Oxford. Michael Mancienne has been able to return to training after missing the last three games.

Ultimately, the day is about Oxford and their fellow play-off rivals though, and should the last day of the season produce the sort of twists and turns that neutrals will be hoping for, it would be no surprise to see Oxford thrive in the unpredictability once more and grasp the opportunity to extend their campaign.

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