Oxford Utd 1, Wrexham 0 (11/04) (From The Oxford Times)

Oxford Utd 1, Wrexham 0 (11/04)

5:07pm Saturday 11th April 2009 in 08/09 Reports By Jon Murray

James Constable scored one of the most dramatic late goals in Oxford United's history to keep their play-off dream alive.

Just as Chris Wilder's men looked to be heading to their second successive stalemate, and with it their season effectively over, Beano summoned up one final effort.

The fourth official had signalled for there to be four minutes of stoppage time, and the contest was three and a half minutes into that, when sub Craig Nelthorpe crossed from the left and Constable headed the ball brilliantly into the goal, off the underside of the crossbar.

It was an astonishing finale, because in truth United had given a tired-looking performance at times, in a tight game where there was little between the sides.

Wrexham had to put in an outfield player in goal, their centre back and captain Ashley Westwood, for the final 13 minutes after Gunnar Nielsen injured his hand.

But even Nielsen wouldn't have saved Constable's winner.

Yemi Odubade, who knows he is playing for his future, was given a start on the right wing, with Lewis Haldane switching to the left, and Odubade had a fine first half.

Positive from the beginning, he kept bombing down the flank towards the Oxford Mail Stand, and some of his crosses had real quality.

It was a brilliant chest trap from Odubade, from Kevin Sandwith's diagonal pass, which helped set up United's first scoring opportunity in the 11th minute.

Odubade hooked over an early cross from near the bye-line and James Constable headed over on the run at the near post.

Wrexham played a passing game, a pleasant contrast to Histon the previous week, and they moved the ball around well at times.

Adam Murray didn't have the best first 20 minutes, and sometimes it looked as though Constable could do with more support.

But that gradually came, both from Murray and from other teamamtes, and United had a strong spell of attacking play towards the end of the first half.

The home crowd were angered by some of referee Rob Merchant's decisions, such as booking Murray for a foul after ignoring a blatant foul on Simon Clist, and Constable was also cautioned for persistent complaining to the official.

But on the half hour Constable was desperately unlucky not to break the deadlock with a fierce drive.

The striker had just come back onto the pitch in a numberless shirt after blood from a clash, when the U's played a corner short to him, and he unleashed a ferocious shot which keeper Gunnar Nielsen just managed to push away from the top left corner of his goal.

Turley saved from Jefferson Louis and Ryan Flynn, fumbling both efforts before recovering the ball, as the Red Dragons managed to get some end product to their moves.

Constable produced a sublime piece of skill early in the second half when he beat his marker by flicking the ball one side of him with his heel, and even though he had three other defenders suddenly descending on him, United's leading scorer still managed to fire in a shot, which Nielsen saved on his knees.

Haldane's strong run on 54 minutes ended with a left-foot drive that Nielsen saved with great difficulty.

Three minutes later, the U's had a big let-off at the other end.

John Curtis played a slick one-two with Flynn, and got behind the home defence, with Clist not really tracking his runner, bit with just Turley to beat, Curtis shot a yard wide.

It was just before the hour mark, and after a spell in which United had looked ragged, that Chris Wilder decided he had to change it, and on came Craig Farrell to provide some much-needed support for Constable.

There really wasn't much between the sides, and with 20 minutes to go, Wrexham winger Silvio Spann cut in from the right menacingly, and hit a lot shot which Turley just managed to smother under his stomach a yard in front of his goalline.

Wilder gambled at the end by sending on Nelthorpe and having just three at the back.

But it paid off, thanks to Constable's 25th goal of the season.

Oxford Utd: Turley, Batt, Willmott (Nelthorpe 77), Foster, Sandwith; Odubade (Farrell 59), Chapman, Clist, Haldane, Murray, Constable. Subs not used: Hinchliffe,Carruthers, Hutchinson. Booked: Murray, Constable.

Ref: Rob Merchant (Staffs).

Att: 5,832 (253 from Wrexham)