2020 has been the strangest of years. The entire planet was hit with a global pandemic, killing over 1.8 million people, infecting tens of millions more, too.
While peoples health and recovery are clearly the priority, football, alongside many other things, have been forced to take a back seat during these troubling times.
However, for Oxford United, it has been a year of incredible highs and some devastating lows. Here is our 2020 review:
Despite a strong season on the pitch, the U’s started the calendar year with defeat at Doncaster. Karl Robinson’s side headed into the new year with just two defeats from 23 games so the defeat may have been a surprise.
January was quite a disappointing month following their earlier antics. The U’s eased past Hartlepool in the second round of the FA Cup but picked up just one point from home league games against Rotherham and Ipswich respectively. Oxford then drew at Gillingham before earning a replay in the FA Cup third round after a goalless draw at St. James’ Park against Newcastle.
However, the Magpies won the reverse in extra time despite the U’s coming from two goals down the level the match. In the league, February was an improvement. Despite a heavy defeat at promotion rivals Peterborough, the U’s began the month with a win over Blackpool. A draw at Burton and a home defeat to Sunderland followed the Posh result before wins over AFC Wimbledon, Ipswich, Accrington and Southend.
Form was improving and, despite falling two goals down at Shrewsbury, the U’s came back to win 3-2. Little did we know at the time, but the winning goal from Josh Ruffels would be hugely important, and it would also be the last game that Oxford would be involved in until July.
The win moved the U’s up to third in League One, just two points behind joint leaders Coventry and Rotherham. But, following the victory, football was suspended as a result of the pandemic. While the Premier League eventually continued, the EFL had to act on the three divisions. The Championship was also continued, but League One and Two were both curtailed, with the U’s final league position being awarded on a points-per-game basis. After the results, Oxford dropped one place to fourth but earned themselves a shot at the playoffs against Portsmouth.
Eventually, football returned. 118 days later, the U’s were back in action. But a lot had changed. Fans weren’t allowed to attend games, players and staff had to be rigorously tested for the virus and players had spent most of the lockdown training from home.
On the pitch, Oxford travelled to Fratton Park for the first leg. The two sides had only met once in the league, with the other postponed due to the season ending early, and it was a draw on the south coast. As it turned out, the first leg would be a similar story with the U’s coming from behind to earn the draw.
The second leg, the U’s first home game for 126 days, also ended level, with Oxford again coming from behind. The game went to penalties and the U’s won 5-4 on or spot-kicks with Simon Eastwood making one save before Cameron Brannagan sent the U’s to Wembley.
It isn’t often a club gets to Wembley. Oxford had been lucky to play at the home of English football on four occasions, with wins coming in the 1986 Milk Cup final and the 2010 Conference playoff final. But the U’s also suffered defeats in the Football League Trophy final against Barnsley and Coventry in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
Their fifth visit to Wembley came as a game against Wycombe in the League One play-off final, and it was arguably the clubs biggest game since their 2010 victory. A victory would have seen the U’s reach the second tier of English football for the first time since 1999. But, as had been the case in the games against Pompey, it had an eerie feel to it. No fans inside Wembley would have been a surreal feeling for a group of players of which had never played there before.
For the 90 minutes, Oxford played like Oxford had been all season and Wycombe played like Wycombe had been all season. The U’s looked calm on the ball, confident in their passing and willing to dictate the play, while the Chairboys were happy to sit back, absorb pressure and play long balls when in possession. Wycombe had also been lethal from set-pieces and it was from one which they opened the scoring. The U’s remained calm and found a fortuitous equaliser when Mark Sykes’ cross-cum-shot found the back of the net. But, when a ball pumped forward caught out the U’s defence, Eastwood raced out and clattered Fred Onyedinma in the box. Joe Jacobson converted the resulting penalty and the U’s were unable to find a way back into the game.
An opportunity missed, for sure, and Karl Robinson’s side had just 54 days before the new season was due to begin.
Rob Dickie was the only major departure during the summer transfer window while the contract extension signed by Cameron Brannagan was a major boost. Robinson brought ten new faces through the door, including Matty Taylor permanently, Joel Cooper and Marcus McGuane.
The U’s beat Wimbledon on penalties in the first round of the Carabao Cup but found form hard to come by. Oxford lost against Lincoln in their first league game before bowing out of the cup with defeat on penalties against Watford. Defeat at home to Sunderland was followed up with 4-1 win at Accrington, but defeats against Gillingham and Peterborough slowed momentum again.
A win over MK Dons was followed by successive 2-0 defeats on the road against Charlton and Fleetwood respectively, before a 3-1 win over Rochdale.
Another loss to the Posh, this time in the FA Cup, was followed by another league defeat against Crewe. A win at bottom club Wigan and a draw at Portsmouth looked like positive results but a home defeat against rivals Swindon – the first loss in 19 years – hit hard.
Still yet to keep a clean sheet since February, Robinson dropped Eastwood and replaced him with Jack Stevens. The results improved.
Draws against sixth-placed Ipswich and league leaders Hull was followed up with a draw on the road at in-form Blackpool, before wins over Northampton, Wimbledon and Plymouth. Since the change of goalkeeper, the U’s have conceded just three goals and kept four clean sheets from six league games.
The coronavirus hasn’t gone away this season and the U’s have been one of many clubs affected by the impact. Although the squad haven’t had any positive tests, the postponement of five games already has halted momentum in the league.
The U’s kick off 2021 with a trip to bottom club Burton Albion. In-form, it could be the opportunity for Oxford to kick on and move back up the table.
