Walsall 1 Oxford United 3 - Report and pictures

The U’s took the lead at the Banks’s Stadium when Rob Dickie headed in a free-kick.

Andy Cook pulled the Saddlers level five minutes later and it seemed as though the momentum has swung in the favour when Marcus Browne was given a straight red card just before half-time.

To Oxford’s credit though they continued to look for a winner following the re-start with Luke Garbutt putting them ahead.

Walsall then threw men forward but they did not have the quality needed to break down the U’s with Dean Keates’ side creating very little.

And in added on time they grabbed a third with Jerome Sinclair latching onto a long ball before firing in.

The results means Walsall have slipped 22nd in the League One table having now lost five games in a row.

ANALYSIS

With his team needing to be more ruthless in the final third, Keates restored top scorer Cook to the side when naming his starting line-up.

Somewhat surprisingly though, Liam Kinsella was the man to make way with the Saddlers boss opting to revert back to a 4-4-2 formation.

It meant Cook partnered Josh Gordon up front with Corey Blackett-Taylor and Ismail the wideman and Isaiah Osbourne joining George Dobson in central midfield.

Oxford lined up in a 4-2-3-1 system with James Henry operating behind Jamie Mackie in the number 10 role. Browne started on the right wing with Luke Garbutt on the left.

In what proved an intriguing opening 15 minutes, it was the visitors who enjoyed the lion’s share of possession without creating clear goal scoring opportunities.

After Nicky Devlin gave away a free-kick just inches outside the box, Cameron Brannagan sent a fierce strike wide.

Garbutt also tried his luke with a dipping and swerving strike from distance which Liam Roberts had to get down to beat away.

In the 20th minute though, Robinson’s side did get their noses in front with the goal initially starting with a hopeful ball forward.

Mackie tried to latch onto it but Roberts got their first before poleaxing the forward with the ball then worked wide right where Gordon gave away a free-kick.

After Mackie received treatment, the ball was then sent in with Dickie heading in at the back post.

To Walsall’s credit, they responded immediately.

Gordon’s ball into the box should have been dealt with by Curtis Nelson but Cook refused to give up and hope and put the defender under relentless pressure.

And the striker then managed to nip in and poke the ball past Simon Eastwood for his 17th of the campaign.

Just a few minutes later, the Saddlers were almost ahead with a short corner routine seeing the ball fall kindly for Jon Guthrie.

From eight yards then defender then swivelled before firing just past the upright.

Cook’s goal had visibly lifted the Saddlers who again went close from a corner when Osbourne headed wide.

Referee David Webb decided there would be seven minutes of added time at the end of the first-half due to Mackie’s collision with Roberts.

And in the seventh minute, Oxford saw themselves reduced to 10-men with Browne as good as stamped on Ismail’s shin when trying to win the ball.

It was hard to tell if The U’s man meant the challenge. But it was a clear red card with Webb rightly giving him his marching orders.

Walsall had a glorious chance to take the lead just seconds after the re-start when Dobson whipped sent in a pin-point free-kick.

The delivery was met by Guthrie but he steered an effort straight into the arms of Simon Eastwood just yards from goal.

Despite being a man down, Oxford continued to look lively as the clock ticked towards the hour mark with Henry heading wide form a dangerous Mackie cross.

Robinson’s side deserved huge credit for not sitting back. And they got their reward in the 63rd when they re-took the lead.

First Sam Long did wonderfully well to hit the byline before sending in a dangerous low cross.

And that was met by Garbutt who had time to take a touch before firing into the corner.

Understandably - now back in the lead - Oxford began to sit back.

But it was only from set-pieces Walsall were looking dangerous with Guthrie again going close when he headed a corner inches wide.

From the final 20 minutes, Oxford essentially asked Walsall if they had the quality to break them down.

But the answer was a resounding no with the Saddlers producing nothing but hopeful balls into the box.

And Oxford then went on to grab a third in stoppage time with Sinclair latching onto a ball forward ahead of Roberts and firing in.

In the celebrations, Ahned Kashi who had been booked earlier and subbed, received a second yellow card meaning Oxford - on the day - saw two players dismissed.

TEAMS

Walsall: Roberts, Devlin, Scarr, Guthrie, Leahy, Ismail (Norman 84), Dobson, Osbourne, Blacket-Taylor, Cook, Gordon (Ferrier 76).

Subs not used: Dunn, Edwards, Kinsella, Fitzwater, Norman, Oteh.

Oxford: Eastwood, Garbutt, Dickie, Nelson, Brannagan, Browne, Ruffels, Henry (Whyte 77), Mackie (Sinclair 84), Long, Kashi (Mousinho 83).

Subs not used: Stevens, Hanson, Graham, Sykes.

Referee: David Webb (County Durham)

Attendance: 6,339.

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