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


Oxford United stretched their unbeaten run to 12 games thanks to a late equaliser from Matty Taylor against Portsmouth.

The U’s were behind when Gareth Evans scored from the penalty but Taylor’s late heroics sent the travelling 1,747 fans home feeling relieved.

 

Karl Robinson made three changes, and a change of formation, from the side that won on penalties against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night. John Mousinho, Mark Sykes and Jamie Mackie all came in, with Elliott Moore and Shandon Baptiste dropping to the bench, while Rob Hall, who scored in the Sunderland game, sat the match out.

Simon Eastwood remained in goal, with a back four of Josh Ruffels, Mousinho, Rob Dickie and Sam Long.

Alex Rodriguez Gorrin sat deep, James Henry started on the left, Tariqe Fosu began in the number 10 role, and Sykes played on the right. Mackie started up top alongside Taylor, with Robinson fielding two forwards for the first time this season.

In what was a blustery afternoon, Oxford managed to keep the ball down and play some exciting football but lacked the final pass.

The first clear chance came after fifteen minutes, and it was for the hosts, but Mousinho blocked John Marquis’s effort.

Both sides had a handful of corners in the opening exchanges, but neither side could finish them off.

On the half-hour mark, Marquis came close again for the hosts, but Eastwood denied the former Doncaster man from eight yards out.

Moments later, Mousinho made the angle tight before the striker fired wide. Then, against the run of play, Fosu found Sykes, but the Northern Irishman fired over.

The game was then halted when Ruffels came off worse in a 50/50 challenge and the full-back was replaced by Moore as the U’s were forced to play a makeshift back four.

In first-half stoppage time, Sykes came close again for the visitors, but his effort was cleared off the line.

The break was needed for the U’s, but Pompey started the second half stronger as Ronan Curtis struck the bar.

Ryan Williams then saw a tame header easily saved by Eastwood, but Portsmouth continued their dominance on the game.

Moments later, the pressure paid its toll. Moore conceded a penalty which was successfully converted by Evans.

Evans could have added a second moments later, but Eastwood denied the forward before Callum Burgess headed wide from the resulting corner.

Williams then saw a 20-yard saved by the busy goalkeeper and the game looked to be getting away from the U’s.

With 20 minutes left, Robinson made his final two changes. Anthony Forde and Baptiste came on, replacing Fosu and Mackie.

Taylor won a free kick for the U’s, but Forde’s effort was well saved, but Oxford started to get back into the game. The U’s won a succession of corners, one of which was eventually turned away after a couple of stabs towards the Pompey goal.

Pompey then survived a penalty shout when Dickie went down before Williams lobbed over at the other end on a rare Portsmouth attack.

From yet another Oxford corner, Mousinho headed over, before Marquis handled the ball outside the box, but from the resulting free-kick, Forde fired wide.

But, when the fourth official announced the additional time, Taylor headed home a Henry cross in front of the travelling fans.

Against the run of play, Curtis fired wide, but Oxford held strong and extended their unbeaten run.

The U’s move up to 4th in League One, four points behind Ipswich Town.

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