Oxford United’s winless run against Cheltenham Town extended to nine games with a 1-1 draw at Grenoble Road.
Matty Taylor missed a first-half penalty and the U’s were made to pay when the Robins took the lead after the restart. However, Mark Sykes netted his fourth goal in five games late on to earn a point for the hosts.
Here are three talking points from the game.
Poor First Half Display by Oxford Standards
Despite going in level at the break, it was a sluggish first 45 minutes from Karl Robinson’s side. Admittedly, the U’s should have taken the lead when Taylor was presented the opportunity from 12 yards but he struck his effort straight at the Cheltenham goalkeeper.
Taylor did find the back of the net before the break but his effort was ruled out for offside. Despite their first-half dominance, the U’s squandered chances and weren’t quick enough on the ball.
Another Goal Conceded From a Set Piece
Despite remaining fifth in League One, Oxford’s inability to attack and defend set-pieces has been a major downfall this season and they were made to pay once again.
The way the U’s conceded the opener was shambolic from a defensive point of view. The corner was tamely whipped in at the near post but Oxford didn’t deal with it, allowing a fortunate ricochet fall to the Cheltenham man to finish.
Change of System
Oxford made two changes in the game. Gavin Whyte replaced Marcus McGuane which meant Sykes moved into the middle before Sam Winnall came on for Ryan Williams.
The second change allowed two strikers on the pitch with Whyte then playing in behind. This formation hasn’t worked when previously deployed this season but Whyte was unable to get in behind the five-man Cheltenham midfield and produced an assist for Sykes to score.
