The ACN Match Review 25/26: Oxford (h) | OneFootball

How did we play?

In summary: Bad, good, bad. Hardly encouraging from the off, Oxford got in behind within 10 seconds, Darling and McConville looked twitchy, Darling had heated words with Vlad and there was a general hapless feeling to those opening minutes. But they got through it, grew into the game and grabbed the lead. The 25 minutes after the break were really encouraging and we looked far more likely to make things happen than at any point this season, and also like some thought had gone into achieving it. More composure from a poor Emi Marcondes, plus some awareness of the dimensions of his own head and we could have got the all-important second goal. There was a frisson there of the team knowing what they’e doing, unfortunately I’m not sure if it will arrive too late.

What was the best bit of the game?

Kenny McLean’s name being read out on the PA pre-game and immediately being met with a chorus of “SHOOOOOOOT!”

What was the worst bit of the game?

Old habits die hard and a severe dose of Long Manning took hold beyond the 75 minute mark. We started to sit deeper, invited trouble and Oxford’s goal was as typical as any conceded this season with the effort to prevent it falling to a collection of static observers. Being late into November with no home wins will do that to you unfortunately, and throwing points away in the last two home games is something they’re just going to have to get over quickly.

What was the atmosphere like?

A big slab of encouraging support wedged between two slices of infectious group terror. The muscle memory of this season’s home struggles wasn’t just evident on the pitch but in the crowd too. Things started off fairly subdued and later on it got very quiet and palpably nervous in those last 10 minutes. While we were on top after half-time, the two-way street of how a good atmosphere works felt like it was back – we were putting the pressure on and the crowd responded and got behind the team.

Hero of the match

Matěj Jurás… no, I’d give it to Jovan Makama. He worked hard all night and didn’t give the Oxford defence any rest and was in the right place to boot us into the lead despite being asked to play out wide again.

Summary in Five Words

Everyone stop taking Makama off.