On This Day – 1986: U’s Maintain Top Flight Status With Win Over Arsenal
John Aldridge of Oxford United with David O'Leary of Arsenal during the Oxford United v Arsenal Division 1 match held at the Manor ground on the 5th May 1986. (Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images)
Monday, May 5, 1986 – Oxford headed into the final game of their debut Division One season knowing that only a win over seventh-placed Arsenal would maintain their top-flight status for another year.
Any nerves were quickly settled, however, as Ray Houghton beat John Lukic in just the third minute. The U’s looked lively, with Houghton seeing a header cleared off the line, John Aldridge heading over and Mark Jones squandering two good opportunities.
But with just under 20 minutes remaining, the U’s were awarded a penalty when Viv Anderson fouled Aldridge, and the striker converted from 12 yards. Ten minutes later, Billy Hamilton raced away and smash home a third.
The result moved Oxford to 18th – a good return for their first-ever season in England’s top division – and capped off a memorable couple of weeks, which included the Milk Cup win over QPR just two weeks earlier in front of a packed Wembley Stadium.