Oxford United survived a first-half scare as Karl Robinson’s side came from behind to secure an emphatic win in the FA Cup third round against Hartlepool United.
Second-half goals from Rob Hall, Shandon Baptiste, Tariqe Fosu and Matty Taylor sealed the win as the U’s progress to the fourth round.
Your #oufc XI this afternoon pic.twitter.com/fK5915Wwe7
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) January 4, 2020
Karl Robinson made four changes from the side that lost at Doncaster on New Year’s Day with Elliott Moore, Sam Long, Hall and Jamie Mackie replacing John Mousinho, Chris Cadden, James Henry and Taylor.
Jordan Archer remained in goal, with Josh Ruffels on the left and Long on the right while Moore partnered Rob Dickie in the centre.
Alex Rodriguez Gorrin sat in midfield behind Mark Sykes and Baptiste. Fosu and Hall were the wingers while Mackie led the line.
Oxford started brightly and knocked the ball around confidently. Moore played a decent through ball to Fosu but the winger and Mackie failed to get their shot off.
Then a minute later, Hartlepool took the lead against the run of play. A rare defensive error allowed Mark Kitching to race on to a loose ball before placing past Archer.
Minutes later the U’s won a corner. The ball fell to Fosu but the former Charlton man was unable to get his cross back into the box.
At the other end, Gavan Holohan fired an effort straight at Archer before the U’s won a succession of corners.
Midway through the first half, Hall had a pop from 25-yards but the winger’s effort sailed just wide.
Ten minutes before the break, the hosts won another corner. Baptiste saw his effort blocked before Dickie was denied as the U’s pushed for the equaliser.
At the end of the half, Kitching went down in the box and appealed for a penalty but his appeal was waved away. Nevertheless, the Pools headed into the break with the advantage.
Hartlepool won a corner just after the restart and, although Dickie made a block, Kitching saw his resulting effort sliced wide.
The U’s then won a free kick in a good position, but Hall’s delivery was headed wide by Mackie.
Hartlepool were then almost presented with a similar chance to their opening goal when Ruffels’ back-pass was played short to Archer, but the goalkeeper managed to hack the ball away.
That clearance proved to be vital. Hall managed to evade the incoming challenge before curling home the deserved equaliser from the best part of 20-yards.
His sixth goal of the season gave the U’s the boost they needed and moments later, Sykes turned and got the shot away but his effort lacked power. Mackie was then played through by Baptiste but his effort was blocked as the U’s had their tails up.
Baptiste was really starting to control the game, and it was fitting that the 21-year-old would find the goal to give the U’s the lead. The midfielder twisted and turned past three Pools men on the run before slotting home a sensational finish.
The U’s now looked comfortable. Substitute Taylor and Sykes linked up well before Fosu saw his bicycle kick sail just wide from Long’s cross.
With ten minutes remaining, the Pools pushed more men forward but that gave the U’s space to run into. Taylor found space out wide but was denied by the visiting keeper.
The final ten minutes brought both bad news and good news. Baptiste, who took a knock midway through the second half, needed treatment again and was subbed off, replaced by youngster Fabio Lopes, who almost scored a third within seconds of coming on but his shot was parried.
Moments later, the third goal came. Lopes saw a scuffed shot find Fosu who tapped home from close range.
Then just one minute later, Sykes was fouled in the box and Taylor smashed home the resulting penalty to put the game to bed.
With four minutes added on, substitute Dan Agyei turned inside before seeing his effort blocked, but the U’s had secured the result thanks to a terrific second-half performance.
