Oxford United and Newcastle United will need a replay to decide who will progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup after a goalless draw at St James’ Park.
Joelinton twice had the ball in the net, but both goals were ruled out for offside, while Marcus Browne and Nathan Holland both late chances for the U’s.
Your #oufc XI this afternoon: pic.twitter.com/hBpEGxGZ1W
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) January 25, 2020
Karl Robinson made two changes from the side that drew at Gillingham with Elliott Moore replacing John Mousinho in defence, while Browne came in for Holland on the right of midfield.
Simon Eastwood started in goal behind a back four of Josh Ruffels, Moore, Rob Dickie, who was making his 100th U’s appearance, and Sam Long.
Alex Rodriguez Gorrin sat in midfield behind Mark Sykes and Shandon Baptiste. Tariqe Fosu and Browne were the wingers while Jamie Mackie led the line.
In front of a sell-out crowd at St James’ Park, or was Oxford that started brightly and could have taken the lead inside the opening minute, but Ruffels’ delivery was just out of reach for Mackie.
Oxford continued to press. Fosu latched on to a loose defensive header but his effort was wild and off-target.
Sykes was causing problems in the centre of the park and won a free-kick just outside the area, but Browne’s effort didn’t find anyone in a yellow shirt.
All of a sudden, the hosts woke up. The Magpies launched a rapid 80-yard counter-attack which the U’s managed to deal with.
Record signing Joelinton twisted inside the box but Dickie was on hand to get a vital block in, resulting in a Newcastle corner. The U’s failed to deal with the corner before the hosts appealed for a handball. VAR checked, but nothing was given.
The U’s looked lively when in attack but lacked the finishing touch in the final third, and their Premier League opponents looked to punish them.
With five minutes of the half remaining, Eastwood was tested for the first time but denied Allan Saint-Maximim’s 20-yard effort.
At the other end, Long had an effort from 25-yards but it sailed over.
After the restart, it was Newcastle that came out the blocks quicker. New signing Nabil Bentaleb struck from range but Eastwood was equal to it.
The hosts then won back to back corners, but they were unable to find the games opening goal.
Three minutes later, Joelinton found the back of the net but the striker was deemed offside.
The hosts’ tails were up. Eastwood denied Saint-Maximim again following a run and effort before the Newcastle man saw a cross cut out by Dickie.
It took Oxford fifteen minutes to threaten in the second half. Sykes burst forward before Ruffels won a corner. From the corner, Karl Darlow gathered Baptiste’s delivery.
Oxford now seemed to have woken up after the break. Long moved into space before finding Sykes, who saw his cross bundled clear.
Moments later, Fosu found Baptiste but his effort sailed just wide. Browne then surged forward and also had an effort from distance, but the result was the same.
With twenty minutes remaining, the U’s were presented with the games best opportunity. Gorrin cleared two challenges to break into space before finding Browne who only had Darlow to beat, but the effort was too close to the goalkeeper.
Matty Longstaff then replaced Saint-Maximim and the local lad fired just wide seconds after coming on.
One minute later, Joelinton found the back of the net for the second time in the game but fortunately for Oxford, it was ruled out for offside again.
With fifteen minutes remaining, Gorrin picked up a yellow card but in hindsight, it was vital, as the hosts had men clear on the counter.
Miguel Almiron then fired over from close range, before Holland replaced Mackie.
With five minutes remaining, it looked like neither side wanted the replay. First, substitute Atsu was twice blocked by Long, before Fosu found space to run into the Newcastle box, but the winger took too many touches and the chance had gone.
Three minutes into stoppage time, Holland had the chance to win it but Darlow kept the West Ham loanee out before Dickie was unable to keep his header down from the resulting corner.
Oxford certainly deserved to avoid defeat and despite the game being goalless, it as an entertaining afternoon which was full of activity.
