Match Day Thread Oxford Utd v Pompey - EFL Trophy

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Match Preview: Oxford v Pompey

Pompey will look to secure top spot in Southern Group B of the Leasing.com Trophy when they travel to Oxford this evening.

With qualification already confirmed, Kenny Jackett’s side know that a win – or picking up a penalty shoot-out bonus point – would guarantee a home tie in the last 32.

Anything less and they would have to wait for the outcome of next month’s clash between United and Crawley to determine their final position.

Tonight’s hosts have only played one game in the competition, beating Norwich’s under-21 side in September.

They are also still in the Carabao Cup, with the recent 4-0 thrashing of Premier League outfit West Ham setting up a fourth round tie with Sunderland at the Kassam Stadium.

Karl Robinson’s troops are currently sitting ninth in the League One standings, with 16 points collected from 12 fixtures.

And they are currently on a six-match unbeaten run in all competitions, with their latest outing a 2-2 draw at Accrington.

Oxford triumphed 2-1 when the sides met at the Kassam Stadium last season, gaining revenge for the 4-1 thrashing suffered on the south coast a few months earlier.

TEAM NEWS
Kenny Jackett has said he will field a young side for tonight’s match, with the likes of Josh Flint, Leon Maloney, Joe Hancott and Harvey Rew all in contention.

Ronan Curtis (hamstring) and John Marquis (toe) are both out, joining Bryn Morris (groin) and Jack Whatmough (knee) on the sidelines.

Oxford are likely to have more experience in their team, although Kevin Berkoe (hip), Anthony Forde (groin), Jamie Hanson (hamstring), Malachi Napa (leg) and Ben Woodburn (foot) are all injured.

HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Pompey: 25 wins
Oxford: 22 wins
17 draws

At Oxford
Pompey: 8 wins
Oxford: 18 wins
8 draws

TICKETS
Pompey fans can buy tickets at the Kassam Stadium – cash only – this evening.

OFFICIALS
Referee: Will Finnie
Assistants: Anthony Da Costa and Mike Desborough
Fourth Official: Leigh Crowhurst

BETTING
Oxford are the 8/13 favourites with Sky Bet to secure all three points, while Pompey can be backed at 7/2.

 

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With Craig MacGillivray away on international duty with Scotland, Alex Bass is in line to feature against Oxford and against Gillingham on Saturday.

 

Match kicks off !

 

Brandon Haunstrup playing tonight at centre half alongside skipper Paul Downing. Youngster Joe Hancott is at left back.

 

Ryan Williams cross, and Bradley Lethbridge goes wide with a shot. 11th minute.

 

Alex Bass saves a shot from Matt Taylor, for a corner. 15th minute.

 

Yellow card for 17 year old Harvey Rew for a foul. Guy Whittingham saying on Radio Solent that Rew won the ball first.

 

1-0 to Oxford. Matt Taylor in the 21st minute.

 

Great save by Alex Bass from a Matt Taylor shot. 24 minutes.

 

GOAL FOR POMPEY !!!!!!!

 

1-1 now against the run of play ! Andy Cannon steals the ball off Ruffles and charges down the right.

He pulls a ball back for Josh Flint, whose left-foot shot is deflected, and Bradley Lethbridge instinctively pokes home at the back stick past former Pompey keeper Simon Eastwood. 33 minutes.

 

That's a clever bit of play from Brannagan as he shifts the ball inside and cracks an angled right-foot shot that Bass gathers at the second attempt. 41 minutes.

 

What a save from Alex Bass!!!

Ruffles puts in a cross from the left and Long arrives late at the back post and gets plenty of purchase on his header, only for the Pompey keeper to tip over the bar.

From the resulting corner, Bass then makes a confident punch clear. 45 minutes.

 

Half time whistle goes, and it's 1-1.

Pompey's young team doing well against a more experienced Oxford side.

 

Tonight's attendance: 1,548 (including 274 Pompey fans who have totally outsung the home fans in the first half !)

 

Pompey double substitution.

Gareth Evans replaces Josh Flint
Ben Close replaces Harvey Rew

 

Pompey kick off the second half.