A late second-half brace from Sam Long saw Oxford United come from two goals down to win 3-2 against Gillingham.
Former U’s defender Robbie Cundy put Steve Evans’ side two goals up with just 18 minutes remaining after Vadaine Oliver opened the scoring, but late strikes from substitute Sam Winnall and Long secured the come back.
The win moves Oxford into the top six for the first time this season after Portsmouth, Charlton and Ipswich all dropped points.
Here’s how #oufc start against Gillingham. pic.twitter.com/LI0Il0dOBg
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) April 17, 2021
Karl Robinson made two changes from Tuesday night’s victory over Shrewsbury with Brandon Barker and Mark Sykes both missing out through injury, so in came Mide Shodipo and Anthony Forde as the replacements.
Jack Stevens began in goal behind a back four of Josh Ruffels, Rob Atkinson, Elliott Moore and Long.
Cameron Brannagan sat in the holding role with Forde and James Henry ahead of him. Shodipo and Elliot Lee were the wide players while Matty Taylor led the line.
Gillingham, who headed into the game without a win in two, started the brighter of the two sides, while it took 15 minutes before Oxford tested Jack Bonham in the visitors’ goal with Forde firing wide from distance.
Henry in the middle saw a 20-yard effort bundled behind by Bonham in another rare opportunity for the U’s.
Olly Lee, brother of Elliot, should have given Gills the lead before the break but his header from close range sailed wide. However, Evans didn’t have to wait much longer for the breakthrough when Ryan Jackson launched a long ball into the box and Oliver turned and struck past Stevens.
Oxford began the second half nervously. First, Ruffels headed back towards Stevens but it went behind for a corner before an error allowed Oliver through on goal, but Stevens came out quickly to smother the ball.
Moore and Henry were denied at the other end as the U’s pushed for an equaliser but it was the visitors that would score the next goal. Former Oxford winger Jordan Graham whipped in a cross which was met by Cundy.
Before the goal, Dan Agyei and Winnall had come on for Forde and Shodipo, and Winnall reduced the deficit with a neat finish inside the far post moments after the Gillingham goal.
Oxford had their tails up and were soon level when Ruffels delivered a wicked deep cross which was met by Long’s head.
Just before full time, Long added his third in two games when he latched on to Brannagan’s cross to move the U’s into the top six for the first time all season.
