Reserves: Oxford United 1 - 0 Cardiff City
Att: Around 200
City fans: 6
City team: Lee-Barrett, Parslow, Prior, Anthony, Croft, Taylor, Maxwell (Parkins 72), Fish, Hayward (Thomas 77), Gordon (Fleetwood 55), Campbell
Unused subs: Brimble, Cronin
City's reserves took on their Oxford United counterparts at the ground of non-league Oxford City FC last night in a 7pm kick off. In attendance for City were Lennie Lawrence, Ian Butterworth, Colin Pascoe, Jimmy Goodfellow and the bloke who drives the team bus. Around half a dozen Cardiff fans were also there to see the second string in action.
Oxford United manager Ian Atkins watched the game from behind the goal, along with ex-City man Mike Ford who is now youth development officer at the Kassam.
The Cardiff team was "under-strength" for this reserve game, up against quite a strong Oxford side who had a number of players on their way back from injury who would normally be in the first team. City fielded a side containing 6 youngsters, and out of sorts players like Maxwell and Gordon. With the number of injuries and suspensions affecting the first team, you would have thought this was a good opportunity for one or two to stake a claim
Oxford had the first half playing a fast high pressure game. All their players worked very hard and they played very high up the pitch. As with all Atkins teams, they had a number of big solid players and got stuck in from the off. United had a number of opportunities to open the scoring in the first quarter, with Lee Barrett being the busier of the goalkeepers. City were restricted to attempts on the break, Taylor and Hayward looking good attacking down the flanks but without any decent final ball. Gordon and Campbell didn't work as a partnership, they couldn't get anything going between them at all. Gordon did manage to break through on goal after muscling out the Oxford centre back but fluffed his shot completely when he really should have done better.
After Croft had taken out an Oxford winger on the right hand side an excellent inswinging freekick was headed down into the bottom corner by the U's number 9 Jefferson Louis, breaking the deadlock just before the break.
Half time: Oxford 1 City 0
The second half was poor, Oxford bringing on the superb Jamie Brooks on the left hand side of midfield who was the only player who looked like doing anything worth watching. City brought on a few youngsters, and to be fair did create one or two more chances, but the shooting was woeful, Fish blasted one out of the ground, and Campbell had a chance to volley one in the last minute but put a tame effort bouncing straight at the keeper.
Full time: Oxford 1 City 0
Lennie Lawrence sitting in the stand will not have been impressed, and out of the starting eleven, only Prior, Croft and Campbell look like they could play first division football. Maxwell isn't fit; he can control and pass a ball well but lacks mobility. Gordon is not good enough , we should be looking to farm him out to a division 2 or 3 team as soon as possible.
Out of the youngsters I was impressed with Fish in the centre of midfield, and the lads out wide did well; Michael Hayward out on the left and in particular City's no 7 - Taylor.
Lawrence will be looking to get a couple of loan players in before the game with Coventry when Kavanagh and Boland will both be suspended, otherwise we are going to be looking woefully short of decent first team players come the end of the month.