The U's Matchzone

Match Report: League One – Gillingham 1-1 Oxford United

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Image for Match Report: League One – Gillingham 1-1 Oxford United

Oxford United remain winless in the new year after they were held to a draw at Gillingham.

Tariqe Fosu gave the U’s a deserved first-half lead, but Olly Lee equalised from the penalty spot in the second half.

Karl Robinson made two changes from the side that drew with Ipswich on Tuesday night, with Mark Sykes replacing Marcus Browne and Jamie Mackie coming in for the injured Matty Taylor.

Simon Eastwood started in goal behind a back four of Josh Ruffels, John Mousinho, Rob Dickie and Sam Long.

Alex Rodriguez Gorrin sat in midfield behind Sykes and Shandon Baptiste. Fosu and Nathan Holland were the wingers while Mackie led the line.

In the Kent sunshine, the game started at a slow and slightly sloppy pace. Jordan Roberts had the first chance for the hosts inside ten minutes, but he struck wide from eight yards.

Oxford had plenty of the ball inside their own half but Gillingham pressed as soon as they crossed the line. It worked for the opening fifteen minutes but just one minute later, Fosu made the breakthrough. The winger picked the ball up on the edge of the area, took a step over before smashing the ball home for his tenth goal of the season.

Five minutes later, Fosu found Ruffels whose cross was met by Holland, but the effort sailed just over.

The Gills’ looked threatening from the long throw. Connor Ogilvie launched one in but Lee fired wide. Roberts then had a go from long range but saw it sail wide before Fosu found Sykes who also saw his effort fail to ripple the back of the net.

As half time approached, the game began to get feisty. The U’s had two chances to double their lead though when Long met Baptiste’s header, which went just wide before Fosu found space but Holland’s pass was overhit.

The U’s looked comfortable after the restart. That was until 15 minutes in when Gorrin brought down the advancing Brandon Hanlan in the box. Lee stepped up, sent Eastwood the wrong way and brought the scores level.

Eastwood was on hand to deny Hanlan two minutes later, but it was the U’s that went in search for the winner.

Holland saw a goal-bound effort deflected behind and Ruffels struck the bar with a header from the resulting corner.

Substitute Dan Agyei showed promise as the U’s sprung counter-attacks, and he found fellow sub-Browne down the left, but he was unable to find Sykes in the centre.

But it was the hosts the a could have snatched it late on but for some solid and resolute Oxford defending. Both sides settle for the point, the U’s remain 5th, four points off the automatic promotion places while their rivals have a game in hand.

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