MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town 1-2 Oxford United

SWINDON TOWN failed to secure a memorable double-derby victory over Oxford United as Karl Robinson’s side impressed to win 1-2 at the County Ground in a match where chances were few and far between for John Sheridan’s Robins. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report from the County Ground.

Brandon Barker’s 2nd minute goal gave the visitors an early lead before Dan Agyei secured three points for Oxford United with a smart finish into the bottom corner with less than ten minutes left in the game. Brett Pitman had a chance to pul Swindon level in the 71st minute but watched on as his penalty was saved, whilst substitute Taylor Curran bagged his first goal for the club scoring in the 90th minute. 

Brandon Barker gave Karl Robinson’s Oxford United the perfect start in this hot-tempered local derby as the midfielders weak shot from outside the Swindon box took a deflection and wrong-footed goalkeeper Connal Trueman to nestle in the bottom corner. 

Similar to the reverse fixture back in November, Swindon were a goal down without ever really getting into the match as the Robins gave themselves an uphill battle as they attempted to get back into the match. 

Jordan Lyden looked to make his presence known early on in the game putting in a strong sliding challenge on Oxford Captain Elliot Moore, but despite appearing to have won the ball, referee Charles Breakspear deemed to have seen it otherwise, showing the Australian a yellow card.

Since taking an early lead, Oxford looked happy to play quick passes around midfield as Town’s defensive partnership of Palmer and Lyden struggled to get on the ball. However despite dominating possession, the visitors created anything of significance as Swindon sought to grab an equaliser against the run of play. 

Scott Twine’s long-range shots never looked like causing any problems, whereas the threat posed by Swindon winger Jordan Garrick saw him get the better of full-back Josh Ruffels on multiple occasions, with a lack of quality in the final third the difference in getting the hosts back on level terms. 

Operating on the counter-attack, Garrick almost got Swindon back into the match in the 16th minute as the attacker tapped the ball around Ruffels, sprinting into the Oxford penalty box, only for his final delivery to be intercepted by Stevens who saved comfortably. 

Oxford threatened to double their lead moments later with Cameron Brannagan shooting with a powerful strike from 25-yards out that left Trueman scrambling across his goal-line as his effort went narrowly wide. 

Last-chance defending from Tom Broadbent moments later kept Swindon hanging in the game as Barker’s cut-back found Oxford striker Matty Taylor inside the six-yard box as the defender’s lunging block denied the Oxford-born attacker from scoring his first goal in 13 games. 

A scuffle erupted amongst the players with just 10 minutes left in the half as Mark Sykes’ rash challenge on Lyden saw the midfielder receive lengthy treatment for a head injury as the Oxford player was shown a yellow card, along with Dominic Thompson for his involvement in the aftermath. 

Swindon finished the first-half the stronger of the two sides as Garrick eventually earned Swindon the Robins their first shot on target in added on time, however his attempt was weak and easily dealt with by Stevens. 

Oxford left for the interval the happier of the two sides, however improvement from both team’s was needed in the second-half. 

Anthony Grant marked his return to first-team action at the start of the second-half with manager John Sheridan hooking off Lyden as he looked to add more defensive reinforcement. 

Having been Swindon’s most dangerous player in the first-half, Garrick immediately threatened as play resumed, working his way into the Oxford area before playing passing powerfully into the feet of Pitman who failed to get a shot away. 

Karl Robinson’s Oxford soon found their stride once again and were presented with big chances to grab a second goal but were let down in front of goal with both Matty Taylor and Rob Atkinson failing to get their efforts on target. 

Hallam Hope replaced Matty Palmer in the 63rd minute as Robins boss John Sheridan sought to unlock Oxford’s sturdy defence. 

However it was Anthony Grant who had the biggest impact on the match as he went down in the box under a challenge from Atkinson to win Swindon a penalty in the 70th minute and a golden chance to pull themselves level. 

Up step Brett Pitman and with the striker seeking to grab his ninth goal of the season, his powerful effort was at perfect height for Stevens who guessed the correct way and saved well with a diving save to his right. 

Oxford had been let off the hook in a game that hey had dominated, and they made sure to settle the game just 10 minutes later as substitute Dan Agyei scored with a brilliant finish across the face of goal after being on for less than 30 seconds. 

Swindon were poor and on the face of it didn’t deserve anything from this game as Oxford’s second goal secured three points for the visitors. 

Substitute Taylor Curran scored his first goal of the season stabbing into an open net during a goal-line scramble, but it wasn’t enough to rescue anything for Swindon Town as Oxford returned to the Kassam with bragging rights and more importantly three points in hand.