Preview: Fleetwood Town v Oxford United

31 October 2020

Fleetwood Town face Oxford United on Saturday 31 October at Highbury Stadium in Sky Bet League One, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 3pm kick-off in our match preview.

Fixture: Fleetwood Town v Oxford United

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Saturday 31 October 2020

Kick-off: 15:00

Venue: Highbury Stadium, Park Avenue, Fleetwood, FY7 6TX

Match officials: Robert Lewis (Referee), Peter Gooch & Anthony Moore (Assistant Referees), Samuel Barrott (Fourth Official)

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FLEETWOOD TOWN

Fleetwood will be looking to make it three wins in a row on Saturday after managing victories over Gillingham and Shrewsbury Town, respectively.

In the last fixture, Town were back at home under the floodlights as they welcomed The Shrews to Highbury Stadium, and it was a perfectly placed Ched Evans finish that decided the result in what was a tightly contested game.

Before that, The Cod Army made the long trip down to the south coast on Saturday to face Steve Evans’ Gillingham, and they managed to come away victors after goals from Paddy Madden and Evans secured the points on the day.

OXFORD UNITED

Oxford haven’t started the season the way manager Karl Robinson would have liked as they find themselves in 22^nd in the Sky Bet League One table ahead of their trip to Fleetwood.

The U’s had to make the trip to central London last time out as they faced Charlton Athletic at The Valley, which ended in a 2-0 loss after goals from Conor Washington and Andrew Shinnie. The game also saw defender Ryan Inniss get sent off 25 minutes from time.

Robinson’s side tasted victory in the game before as they managed to come out on top in a five-goal thriller against Milton Keynes Dons. An early goal for both sides started the encounter, but it was Oxford who found themselves in the lead around the hour mark, though a Sam Long goal. Loanee Olamide Shodipo added to their lead with two minutes, making Ben Gladwin’s 90th-minute goal for the Dons just a consolation.

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PRE-MATCH QUOTES – JOEY BARTON

Head coach Joey Barton spoke to the media ahead of his side’s clash against Oxford United at Poolfoot Farm on Friday afternoon. He had this to say:

“There’s no doubt about it, Oxford are a top ten side. They are probably suffering, like we did, with a bit of play-off hangover and they’ve also lost a few players as Dickie has gone to QPR and the loan signings that you made have gone back to their parent clubs.

“They are in a tough spot, but I watch their game against Charlton, and they were probably the better side. If you watched the game as a neutral, there was only going to be one winner and it wasn’t Charlton.

"We've got a good record against Oxford, I don't think they've ever beaten us and we aim to continue that. We hope to continue our run of form against Oxford and keep upwards trajectory and momentum that we've built in recent weeks against Gillingham and Shrewsbury."

ONE TO WATCH – MATTY TAYLOR

One to watch from Oxford is forward, Matty Taylor. The 30-year-old local re-joined The U’s on a free transfer in the summer after spending last season on loan at the Kassam Stadium.

Taylor started his career at Oxford, and after moving to Didcot Town and North Leigh, he made the move to Forest Green Rovers and managed to score ten goals in his initially season there, including his hat-trick against Alfreton Town. He went on to score a further 12 goals for the side in his three-year spell at the club but then moved on to Bristol Rovers.

Taylor impressed in his time at Bristol Rovers as he scored 20 goals in their Conference Premier promotion season, including one in each of the play-off semi-finals against his former side, Forest Green. The season after, he carried on his form as he went on to outscore every player in the Football League, scoring 27 goals in his first season back in the EFL.

He then became the first player to move from one Bristol side to the other since 1987, signing in January 2017. Highlights from his time at City include scoring against Stoke City and Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup, as well as setting up a 93rd-minute winner in the quarter-final of the competition against then holder, Manchester United.

In 2019, the forward moved back home on loan and carried on his impeccable scoring form as he finished the COVID-19 stricken 2019/20 season as League One top scorer, with 13 in the league and 17 overall. Taylor has since joined the club permanently and has scored three goals already this season.

WATCH TOWN ON IFOLLOW

Supporters can now purchase video match passes for Fleetwood Town’s Sky Bet League One clash against Oxford United on Saturday.

With games still being played behind closed doors, the match pass is your best option to watch the Cod Army during the early stages of the 2020/21 season.

Fleetwood are back at Highbury as they are set to face Oxford on Saturday as they look to build on their 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town - and you can watch the game against The U's for just £10!

If you'd like to purchase your match pass, click HERE.

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Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Fleetwood pick up all three points against Oxford at Highbury

31 October 2020

Fleetwood Town made it two wins in a week after beating Oxford United 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Highbury Stadium.

Callum Camps broke the deadlock in the first minute of the game as he managed to volley the ball from 20-yards into the back of the net, before a second-half goal from substitute Paddy Madden doubled the side’s lead on a drizzly afternoon at Highbury.

The first chance of the game led to the opening goal as Ched Evans chested the ball down to Camps on the edge of the box, who controlled the ball and volleyed the ball into the top corner of the net.

Fleetwood had another chance soon after as Sam Finley dribbled into some space 20-yards out and tried his luck with his left foot, but it went just wide of the target.

Oxford took the ball down the other a few minutes later and won a penalty after Charlie Mulgrew was seen to have brought down Matt Taylor inside the box. The forward then stepped up and saw Jayson Leutwiler dive low to keep the spot-kick out.

Finley was at the centre of another Town attack as he midway through the half as he played a quick pass to Evans, who found Camps, but his strike didn’t trouble the goalkeeper.

Fleetwood had another chance soon after as Barrie McKay stepped over a free kick on the left-wing. He attempted to find someone in the box and the goalkeeper had to come out and punch the ball clear.

Leutwiler was called back into action just before the break as the ball found its way to Olamide Shodipo tried an ambitious volley from 20-yards, which the goalkeeper had to punch clear.

Just after the hour mark, Taylor decided to go by himself on the attack and struck the ball at the Fleetwood goal, and after a deflection, it was easily collected by the goalkeeper.

With 20 minutes to go, Paddy Madden was subbed onto the pitch and it didn’t take long for him to make an impact as Tom Edwards crossed the ball deep into the box, with the ball behind headed on by Evans to the Irish forward who half-volleyed it home.

Andrew almost made it three with the last chance of the game, five minutes before the end, as he picked up the ball on the edge of the box, put it onto his left-foot, and curled an effort towards goal, which went just over the bar.

Town XI: Leutwiler (GK), Edwards, Andrew, Connolly, Whelan (C), Burns, Evans, Camps (Duffy 78’), Mulgrew, McKay (Madden 71’), Finley (Coutts 71’).

Subs not used: Cairns (GK), J.Morris, Saunders, Holgate.

Oxford XI: Eastwood (GK), Clare, Ruffels, Moore, Gorrin, Taylor, Long, Forde (Hall 85’), Henry (C), Shodipo (Cooper 74’), Kelly (Agyei 74’).

Subs not used: Stevens (GK), Sykes, Mousinho, Elechi.