Report | Oxford United 2-0 Argyle
A goal in each half was enough for Oxford United to claim three points in a battle between two sides for whom survival in the Sky Bet Championship would be an achievement when May rolls around.
As it is, Argyle end 2024, and reach the halfway point of the current season, bottom of the table and still searching for their first away win of the campaign.
After a cagey opening, Ciaron Brown’s header, from a corner Argyle failed to sufficiently clear, put Oxford in front, and when Przemyslaw Placheta made it 2-0 on the hour, Oxford were always likely to see the game out.
There were more than a couple of surprises in the Argyle line-up when the teams were announced. Perhaps most jarring – in a pleasant way – was that Morgan Whittaker had shrugged off a toe issue ahead of schedule and came back into the team. He was joined by Ryan Hardie, who had missed the trip to Coventry City having lacerated a knee in the 21 December draw with Middlesbrough, and who played as Argyle’s lone frontman.
Conor Hazard replaced Daniel Grimshaw in goal, the Northern Irishman having had to have been more patient following his own return from injury. Having got hurt in 31 August’s loss to Stoke City, Hazard missed a spell of action then came back to the substitutes’ bench for several games.
Matty Sorinola was the fourth change to the side, and his return to the 11 signalled a shake-up to the back four. Sorinola joined Kornel Szucs, Lewis Gibson and Brendan Galloway in the defence, meaning Bali Mumba switched right-back for left midfield. On the opposite flank was where Whittaker returned, the pair flanking Rami Al Hajj, Darko Gyabi and Adam Randell in midfield.
In the opening ten or so minutes of the game, both teams resembled…well, exactly what they are, really, which is two sides at the bottom of the table, looking nervous to lose, as opposed to thinking too hard about winning.
Steadily, after essentially letting Argyle have the ball for a bit, Oxford began to build possession, mostly in their own half, but they were certainly the team that was visibly growing in poise. That stature was infinitely lifted when they took the lead on 14 minutes.
The goal owed a little to Argyle not defending a corner sufficiently, but also to a little bad luck too. The initial take was cleared to where Cameron Brannagan had a shot charged down, but the ball made it to Tyler Goodrham, the initial corner-taker, for another try.
This time, he found the far post, where the unlucky Randell slipped at the wrong time, allowing sufficient space for Brown to extend and head home.
Argyle’s confidence looked shattered. Oxford began to push forward at regular intervals, leading goalscorer Mark Harris hit a shot on target which Hazard saved well, before Greg Leigh got onto a diagonal ball into the area, and headed into the side-netting.
Slowly, Argyle gathered themselves, and began to affect the game at the other end. From one corner, Gibson headed into the hands of Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming, and from another, Szucs was unable to meet the ball at the far post.
Then came Argyle’s best chance of the half. Gyabi seized a loose one and allowed Mumba to advance on the left. His cut-back found Al Hajj who hit a deflected shot which looped into the air, past a stranded Cumming, and struck the bar on the way over.
With Argyle pushing, Oxford reminded their visitors of their threat with a speedy counter-attack which ended in the lively Placheta’s shot being well blocked by Sorinola, although in truth Placheta was perhaps guilty of neglecting to use Harris, running alongside him.
On 36 minutes, Placheta got into a good position again, and was this time correct to shoot, but found Hazard’s reactions a little too good, and the ball drifted to safety following a good save.
Before the half was out, Oxford had time to strike the frame of the goal themselves, Leigh’s looping header from a corner cushioning off the bar, before being smuggled to safety from under the shadow of the goal.
Argyle brought on Caleb Roberts at half-time, replacing Rami Al Hajj, with a slightly rejigged central midfield group hoping to impose on the match a little more.
Roberts was involved quickly, having a pair of shots charged down inside two minutes of the restart, and these came just after a Bali Mumba burst had led to a ball nearly falling to Gyabi, who had claims for being nudged off his balance inside the area when about to shoot.
Argyle, perhaps sensing Oxford would settle for a 1-0, were finding joy at the start of the second period. Next, Mumba raced down the left and clipped in a dangerous near-post ball which Oxford had to be on their mettle to stop Hardie converting at the near post.
United made Argyle pay for not finding an equaliser by scoring their second just after the hour mark. A clipped ball through the centre initiated a foot race between Placheta and Galloway, with the Polish winger winning out.
With Hazard drawn, Placheta pivoted, evaded and coolly stroked home, giving the home side the cushion they desired.
And it was a cushion they never looked like relinquishing, either. For the second time this week, a second period was played out with each team knowing in their heart the result in significant advance of the final whistle.
Argyle: 21 Conor Hazard, 2 Bali Mumba, 6 Kornel Szucs, 9 Ryan Hardie, 10 Morgan Whittaker (19 Andre Gray, 80), 17 Lewis Gibson, 18 Darko Gyabi, 20 Adam Randell, 22 Brendan Galloway (39 Tegan Finn, 68), 28 Rami Al Hajj (34 Caleb Roberts half-time), 29 Matty Sorinola. Substitutes: 31 Daniel Grimshaw (gk), 3 Nathanael Ogbeta, 4 Jordan Houghton, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 35 Freddie Issaka, 44 Victor Palsson.
Booked: Sorinola 65, Roberts 73
Oxford: 1 Jamie Cumming, 2 Sam Long, 3 Ciaron Brown, 4 Will Vaulks, 5 Elliott Moore, 7 Przemyslaw Placheta (15 Idris El Mizouni, 72), 8 Cameron Brannagan, 9 Mark Harris (44 Dane Scarlett, 86), 19 Tyler Goodrham (24 Hidde ter Avest, 86), 20 Ruben Rodrigues, 22 Greg Leigh. Substitutes: 21 Matt Ingram (gk), 10 Matt Phillips, 14 Louie Sibley, 23 Siriki Dembele, 29 Kyle Edwards, 30 Peter Kioso.
Goals: Brown 14, Placheta 61
Attendance: 11,438 (1,478 away)
Referee: David Webb