Oxford 0 Sunderland 1 – Match Report

What a absolutely fantastic result yesterday, there’s no better result than a hard earned 1-0 win away from home? Still a lot of football to be played, but the 1-0’s at Tranmere and Oxford are indicative of the type of results and performances that get you where you want to be?

As if excitement isn’t already at fever pitch for those reading….. today’s match report is an extended edition. Last Saturday I looked at the individual performances, this week it’s a Travel Special, what a time to be alive?

Journey south…..

It was well documented that the weather forecast was poor – but as with all things in life that can’t be controlled, worrying about them is futile, ultimately if the game is off, we’ll head home and come back another day, (like Man City, Accrington, Reading etc).

As always the media hype surrounding the storm was not representative of the actual – there’s a joke about storms that is not appropriate to publish on here about being exciting, wet and warm at first, but leaving you with no house in the end, so I won’t tell the joke in question……

Driving to games nowadays is much easier than it used to be, gone are the days of heading to the town and looking for the floodlights, (beware of towns like Wigan that had a rugby ground too), asking locals,(not always the best idea?) – we now have the genius that is Sat Nav, (or Satellite Navigation for long).

SAFC Blog driveing to Oxford v Sunderland — Spoilt for choice yesterday, not only was Sat Nav in operation – we had an man who forget to have his breakfast and started drinking at 9.30am to point’

The irrational majority of the population had clearly chosen not to travel anywhere and stay at home to watch the storm on TV? The roads were deserted and aside from a few spells, the weather was fine…..

SAFC Blog arrives at the Kassam Stadium were Sunderland won 1 - 0 against Oxford United — Almost tropical by the time we arrived at the ground?

Maybe it’s O doubling up as Zero, or having an X……but I’ve never seen so many football club themed personalised number plates as there was for Oxford United!

The match……..Oxford 0 Sunderland 1

Oxford 0 Sunderland 1 Steve Parkin warming up pre match — It takes more than a storm to keep Parkin from the warm up?

Conditions were horrible, this was a brilliant 3 points. Oxford are one of the better teams in this division, I didn’t buy a programme, so don’t know his name – but their number 4 will be playing at a higher level soon I’d say?

It was just a great battle, not only are we fit, we look more streetwise…. yes I know winding the clock down, niggly fouls etc are annoying at times – but I’ll take them all day long at 1-0 up away from home!

We scored early, for all the word it looked like a Jordan Willis goal. Sky reported it as an own goal…….

Sunderland celebrate the goal at Oxford in their 1 - 0 win — An early Willis goal puts the lads ahead…..

I’m convinced the goal should have been credited to Willis, in fact do Sky even know what they are conversing about?

There’s much better places than SAFCBlog to read about the match, in short – just a tremendous team effort. I sung the praises of our defence last night…. I’ve not, (as yet), managed at the top level, but for what it’s worth, the following picture just sums up our back line…..

We are playing well, it was tough second half.

Wyke has been brilliant lately, yesterday he didn’t have a particularly good game – we just looked like we need an outlet/some rest-bite? Lafferty possibly could have replaced Wyke after 55/60 minutes?

We should perhaps have looked to hit the channels rather than the ball down the middle in such shite conditions…. but we won and I’m absolutely delighted about that and I know about as much about football management as Barrymore does about pool safety?

One final point – the delivery from Maguire for the goal was amazing. I’m not mad on stats, but I’d wager that we have scored more goals from corners this season than in the previous 3 seasons?

hit The north……..

Whilst quite partial to a train ride and a day on the piss in some tinpot town, SAFCBlog tends to drive to away games that are based on random retail parks etc. I’d always choose the A1, but we went for M1 yesterday as the A1 is prone to flooding.

Service stations are great, if you’re a passenger it’s a welcome piss stop, if you’re the driver it’s a break from the monotony of driving in a straight line, (at no faster than 70mph).

Yesterday was my first visit to Donnington Services – what a fantastic facility! The only disappointment was that Greggs was closed at 6.30pm, (hopefully just staffing issues?).

I must be one of the few SAFC away travellers who hasn’t been to Wetherby Services, but reading about it this morning on the excellent www.motorwayservicesonline.co.uk – Donnington is apparently based on Wetherby – it’s only 15 minutes from my gaff, so I’m going to go this week.

Historically I have always been a Welcome Break fan, but MOTO seem to be on the march? Last year 4 of the bottom 5 ranked services were MOTO – but this is misleading. All of the new facilities are tremendous- I fear for the likes of Trowell, (only 4 miles north of Donnington) – whilst the convenience of equidistant entry from either carriageway appeals, sadly I think the foot tunnel in the sky over the road is sadly soon to become a thing of the past.

SAFC Blog at Donnington Services — “good evening Donnington – LETS ROCK!”

Whilst we all know that service stations price match with airports, (I accept the captive audience argument). It’s absolutely fucking ridiculous that the Whoppers in charge of Burger King think it’s ok to add 40% to their prices!

On the off chance anyone is still reading, here’s the highlights from yesterday courtesy of the King of the Internet…….