Oxford United have made it eight wins in succession – a joint club record – with their first ever win over Fleetwood Town. The win also extended the U’s unbeaten run to 12 games in all competitions.
A first-half header from Josh Ruffels was enough to give the U’s a victory over the Cod Army for the first time in 13 attempts.
Here's the team to take on Fleetwood #oufc pic.twitter.com/7ZjtRTGkkH
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) January 30, 2021
Karl Robinson made three changes from the side that edged past Rochdale. Liam Kelly, Mide Shodipo and James Henry came in for Jamie Hanson, Jordan Obita – who has joined Wycombe, and Dan Agyei.
Jack Stevens began in goal behind a back four of Ruffels, Rob Atkinson, Elliott Moore and Sam Long.
Alex Rodriguez Gorrin sat deep in midfield with Kelly partnering Cameron Brannagan in the middle. Shodipo and Henry were the wide men while Matty Taylor led the line.
In difficult conditions, the visitors’ afternoon was made tougher after just six minutes when defender Charlie Mulgrew was dismissed for bringing down Taylor just outside the box with the U’s top scorer through on goal.
Oxford couldn’t take advantage from the resulting free-kick but started to dominate possession with the numerical advantage.
Henry saw a shot easily saved by Alex Cairns. But, moments later, the winger saw a cross palmed behind for a corner and the U’s would open the scoring from the set-piece. Henry’s delivery was met by Moore into the path of Ruffels to nod home his fourth goal in five games.
He could have doubled the advantage moments later but his spectacular volley sailed just over before Brannagan was denied by Cairns from close range before the break.
The U’s continued to push for a second after the break as Brannagan struck the bar. But, despite being down in the game, Fleetwood started to push for an equaliser.
Stevens denied Harrison Holgate from a corner before Robinson made a triple change with Sam Winnall, Jamie Hanson and Dan Agyei replaced Kelly, Gorrin and Shodipo.
Just after the changes, Winnall struck the post before Agyei failed to tuck home the rebound despite having an abundance of time to do so.
Neither side created anything meaningful of note before full time as the U’s registered an eighth successive win. It was also a fifth successive home clean sheet for Oxford.
The U’s move up to eighth in League One, three points off the playoffs with a game in hand.
