Oxford 1 v City 1(Stearn 44) ft

Nat for Antoine, and Dan for Kevin the changes. Buck on the bench.

Again we rarely seem to push on and consolidate a lead and therefore likely to drop points when conceding even 1.

We do not score enough and it is no wonder as we have played the whole season without a decent striker.

Frustrating. Fear a boring season end unless we start winning these games.

Didn't see the point of putting Richards on for the last couple of minutes - why not throw Buck on for 15 and give it a go? As Luton Roman said, we seem reluctant to push on and try to win games, and invariably pay the price.

JG probably thought Oxford were bossing midfield so needed to gain a foothold there to give us a chance.

Why no Antoine?

7th place in last 5 years has ranged between 69 pts and 59 with 65, 66 and 67 in between. And that was when 7th place meant nothing so it may not be the best comparison though so many points have already been dropped by teams...so who knows but still plenty of work to be done.

One of the most remarkable things about today was before the match started. There was some tournament for local kids' teams in the area on the pitch, followed by various presentations for winners and so on. There must have been 100-150 children and adults watching or taking part, and I could barely squeeze into the main stand to set up the radio kit.

Once it finished, 99% of them left, choosing not to watch the game. I know it wasn't the most glamorous days of the year, but I found it incredible. It'd be like Bob doing one of his tours before kick-off and then sending everyone off on the bus back to Bath. I might be wrong, but there seemed little attempt in making them stay and, if there was an effort, it's a shame so many youngsters were denied taking in a live match.

That said, if they did stay on it might have put them off again. Not a classic and I'd say we need to do all we can to ask Ross Stearn to extend his paternity leave with us by another few months. If he goes we miss another goal threat and it's something we badly need. The other option would be trying Semenyo (out with flu) up front with Jarvis and seeing if that clicks because I felt he was too isolated.

I have a feeling that if Semenyo had been available he would have played the lone striker role instead of Jarvis, rather than alongside him, as Jerry seems to be committed to playing that way.

I heard Jerry’s post match interview and he sounded as frustrated as everyone else. Hopefully we can raise our game against Weston - although more rain is forecast for Monday - because if they play as well as they did on Boxing Day we could have our work cut out.

You're probably right (re strikers and weather...)

Playing two alongside each other up front would probably result in Artus, Morton or Smith being left out, which would be harsh. Just need to find some sort of formula which works.

I'm not going on Tuesday, and forgot to even mention the game on radio because of it! The pre-match/half-time are hastily arranged files which I did for NYD but left open in case it was predictably postponed.

Oxford forum say crowd was 818 due to the freebies for kids and adults Mark referred to...who then left !

stillmanjunior wrote: I might be wrong, but there seemed little attempt in making them stay and, if there was an effort, it's a shame so many youngsters were denied taking in a live match.

I never saw the large number you described before the match as I only arrived just before ko. However they must have been at least 40 in the stand during the first half. But by ht they had drifted away, showing not the slightest interest in the match. I suppose the tradition of youngsters being introduced to their local club through accompanying parents who are regular supporters still applies today - I wonder how many on these organised visits ever return.

The official attendance was 818 I think. I asked the turnstile lady why didn’t they try to encourage the kids to watch the game, she said that they all had a free ticket but that they just aren’t interested.

It needs to be about more than the football as these kids are used to watching Premier League etc. The tournament is a good start but let them be ballboys or mascots maybe. They could find far worse clubs to follow than Oxford City, especially after their recent cup run.

Still, good job they did all move as it would have made a tricky commentary position far worse!

Ashley wrote:The official attendance was 818 I think. I asked the turnstile lady why didn’t they try to encourage the kids to watch the game, she said that  they all had a free ticket but that they just aren’t interested.

I would say that the 'gate' for the actual game was probably about 600 less than the official figure given.  Great shame that so little interest was generated towards the fortunes of their local side amongst the youngsters and, probably more poignantly, their parents.

Oxford United?

The hordes of kids walking out before kick off was very odd. We arrived around 2:30 which I'm guessing was the time the tournament ended. It felt like we were walking against the tide, more like walking against the crowd at the end of a game than towards one. All very odd.

You have to wonder how with kids and adults already in the ground just before kick off they didn't manage to persuade them to stay, but maybe as Mark said there needed to be another enticement. Food for thought for ourselves as we strive to increase our own gate.

Bribing them may persuade them to stay, but will they return? If not, what's the point? Perhaps there was a very good reason why such an event was planned prior to a home fixture, but if the stressed car park steward I chatted to was typical of the knock on effect, it did seem a very odd one.

comrade powell wrote:Bribing them may persuade them to stay, but will they return? If not, what's the point? Perhaps there was a very good reason why such an event was planned prior to a home fixture, but if the stressed car park steward I chatted to was typical of the knock on effect, it did seem a very odd one.

Agreed, I saw an overly stressed turnstile guard (for want of a better word) directing people away from the open gate towards the turnstile, but I saw a few people walk into the ground without paying through the large opening. You would have thought they'd have considered that.

In regards to returning, I think the issue is first to get people to stay and (hopefully) see a decent non league game that may get them to return, OK so on Saturday they would have watched a fairly poor game, but they might stay and see a barnstormer and come again. From personal experience of getting people to come to Twerton, non league has a fairly entrenched opposition it has to overcome before some football fans will consider watching it.

Yea some good points here. Maybe Oxford City did all they could, they were just unfortunate that some wanted to get home in the dry as it had already been a long day for some. At least these kids managed to get some football too, probably haven't in recent weeks with the poor weather. It's just a sign of the times really - when we went to Hendon and Chelmsford, both situated amongst several football pitches, there were only a handful having a kickaround outside. If I wasn't watching us I'd want to be out all the time having a game.

I suppose we'd need to find out how many of these kids and parents from our tours etc attend otherwise. I doubt many see this side of it, Bob does an exceptional job with it.

Luton Roman wrote:Oxford forum say crowd was 818 due to the freebies for kids and adults Mark referred to...who then left !

Sorry Gerry, didn't see your post before I put virtually the same thing!

We arrived about 2pm and I got chatting to one of the parents involved (in the massive queue for the tea bar). It was a west midlands regional tournament and he said they weren't staying as they had travelled from Stoke with an early start and wanted to get back.

It was quite an impressive sight as we drove by about 1pm tho, place was rammed and the pitch was in full use until about 2 in the pouring rain. Good advert for 3g as was the queue at the tea bar and in the clubhouse!