U's 2-0 Oxford: Off To A Winning Start

United kicked the season off with a win on Saturday and it feels like good times are back at the Abbey, for now at least. Marc Manning (@mmanning98) reports from the NRE...

Football is finally back. It’s been nearly three months to the day since we were all out on the hallowed Abbey turf celebrating the greatest of escapes on the final day of the season, but the next challenge began today at 3pm as the U’s welcomed a hotly-tipped Oxford side to CB5.
Pre-season league predictions can be a funny old game, the usual suspects are predicted to finish at the summit until they falter to a limp mid-table finish, whilst the lowest budgets are relegation-tipped as always. Coming into the season, the know-it-all media outlets predicted either side to finish at opposite ends of the League One table, but the U’s always prove them wrong, and on today’s showing it looks like that could already be the case.

The surprise at 2pm was the inclusion of Saikou Janneh in the XI, taking the place of Sullay Kaikai from the team that lost to Barnet in the last pre-season outing. Question marks were to be had as to who filled the vacant Mitov slot, up stepped newcomer Jack Stevens who made his debut against his former club.

The U’s started surprisingly strong against a possession-hungry Oxford side. Some clever link-up play between the United front four and a few attempts at the South Stand goal excited a vociferous home crowd of 7,435 early on. The saying “It’s just like watching Brazil” springs to mind, but then that might just be the BrewBoard Rex lager talking…

Anyway, the calmness in possession and the fluid attacking play paid off midway through the first half. James Brophy endeavoured to win the ball back on the Habbin side of the pitch and played a simple pass through which enabled Janneh to run with the ball, powering a low driven shot at the Oxford keeper, which was then spilled into the path of the oncoming Jack Lankester who tapped in for his first of potentially many this year. Taking the no.10 for the new season, Jack will be looking to emulate the success of those who have worn that number before him… Daryl Clare, Ade Azeez, that Wrexham striker etc.

The second goal followed shortly after and is already a goal of the season contender. A deft 1-2 with the new no.10 played the livewire Saikou Janneh through past the dugouts and towards the corner flag. And after discovering he did in fact have a left foot floated a gorgeous ball into the path of Gassan Ahadme who headed strongly into the net to give the U’s a two goal advantage. It has only been 68 days since the final whistle blew on the 2022/23 EFL season, and if the new approach to timekeeping is upheld until the very end then expect the 2023/24 season to end in the year 3000. Though the overinflated stoppage time wasn’t as bad at the Abbey like it was in some places (15 minutes alone at one ground), the new rulings around fouls and bookings meant the smallest of fouls or simply throwing the ball three metres away meant an instant
yellow card. Farcical to say the least, but when has the EFL and FA really got anything right? The second half began as it did the first, though it was Oxford firing on all cylinders on their quest to even up proceedings, yet they only really had one major chance in either half to start the comeback. Jack Stevens earned the number 1 jersey in this game alone, a commanding performance and some excellent saves to keep the other U’s at bay including a point-blank save worthy of any highlight reel towards the end of a rather quiet second half. For all the possession Oxford had throughout the game (70% to be exact) they rarely threatened, and when they did the brick wall of the U’s backline fought confidently to keep the score as it was. The partnership of the ever-reliable Ryan Bennett and new skipper Michael Morrison is one of, if not, the most experienced in the league, a partnership that will be vital not only in the present but for the future with the likes of Okedina and Ibsen Rossi waiting in the wings.

The second half substitutions were made and new faces were introduced to the Abbey crowd including midfielder Jordan Cousins who added some needed steel into a tiring United midfield, and forward Elias Kachunga who is already a fan favourite with the infamous “Tequila” chant ringing around the Newmarket Road End even after the final whistle blew… now who remembers Marc Richards and Sombrero Saturday?

It sounds weird but it felt odd leaving the Abbey happy today. Only a handful of times were we truly entertained last season as the prospect of relegation lingered right until the very end. The jubilation of the derby day win, that Forest Green victory, holding the top two to draws… rarely did we have anything to really celebrate.

But today, it felt different.

The feeling that we confidently matched a team destined to challenge, the look of unity from the players as they applauded the U’s faithful, the standard of play and depth we have within the ranks, it seems like lessons have been learnt and last season is firmly behind all of us. We all know it’s very very early into the season with another 45 games to go, and yes… we may be on the pitch celebrating another great escape in April but we can afford to have some optimism. We’ve been written off before a ball has been kicked before, and it’s time to prove the doubters wrong. It’s the United way.

Man of the Match: Plaudits to James Brophy and Ryan Bennett, but it has to be Saikou Janneh. A part to play in both goals and looked a real handful throughout the first half. A huge season for him if he can keep up these performances.

Soundtrack of the Match: The Champs - Tequila

Unsung Hero: Marvin the Moose playing the drums in the NRE fan zone.