Woking 0, Oxford Utd 2 (13/04) (From The Oxford Times)

Woking 0, Oxford Utd 2 (13/04)

5:50pm Monday 13th April 2009 in 08/09 Reports By Jon Murray

Adam Murray and Simon Clist made up for lost time with early goals at Woking as Oxford United continued their push for the play-offs.

Kick-off in this Blue Square Premier match had to be delayed for an hour because of crowd control problems, but once the game got going, the 2,100 Oxford fans didn't have long to wait to start celebrating.

Murray fired in one of his trademark angled free-kicks in only the fifth minute, And the Yellow Army were in dreamland 13 minutes later as Simon Clist volleyed in a sublime goal to put them two up.

Hundreds of Oxford fans were already at Kingfield by 12.30 and the away sections filled up quicly once the gates were opened.

Some 1100 had filled the Kingfield Road terrace along one side of the ground but Woking's Safety Officer was not happy that many were positioned in front of the crush barrier, and the referee refused to let the game start until they got behind.

However, there seemed to be real communication problems, with not enough stewards making it clear what was needed, and many U's fans unable to hear the announcements on the PA system because of the sheer volume of noise the away fans were making.

The players were first told there would be a 15-minute delay to kick-off, then 30 minutes, and eventually an hour, with police drafted in to form a human barrier, together with stewards, in the home fans' end, where around 250 Oxford fans were allowed to go, to ease the congestion and crowding on the terrace.

Manager Chris Wilder and chairman Kelvin Thomas even went over to the mass of away fans opposite as officials tried to get some order.

After such a long wait, it must have been hard for the players to retain their pre-match intensity but the visitors made a great start.

Murray had his foot taken away as he tried to shoot, and the ref immediately pointed for a free-kick. Murray had scored from much wider out at Eastbourne, and this time he ran up and planted a superb shot past keeper Danny Knowles and just inside the far post.

The U's looked much sharper than their opponents in the early stages, although Oliver Bozanic did go close with a free-kick of his own at the other end.

But on 18 minutes, United put real daylight between them and their hosts with a second goal.

Craig Farrell knocked the ball across from the right, Cards captain Paul Lorraine let it go rather than clear, and Clist volleyed the bouncing ball wide of Knowles and into the goal with excellent technique with his left foot.

As Woking came back into it, they had a spell of pressing Oxford back, and Turley got down well to save a Bozanic 20-yarder low to his left.

The keeper, whose handling was very good, also had to save from Lorraine's header before half-time but United's defence was not unduly troubled by a team desperately struggling for goals this season.

Constable struck a left-foot drive wide before the half-time whistle, and during the interval most spectators in the ground were able to catch up with the fuill-time scores around the country, which in most cases did not favour Chris Wilder's men.

Oxford again seemed content to soak up pressure in the second half, when Woking showed a bit more spirit.

Bozanic directed a 20-yard free-kick just wide of Turley's left post and Patrice Konan drove across the face of the goal.

The visitors' chances were now tending to come on the break, and after good work from Constable, Farrell fired over from 15 yards.

United's leading scorer and talisman was injured in laying the ball back to his striking partner, and had to receive treatment.

But he was soon back and looking sharp, and after Eddie Hutchinson had come on to replace Adam Chapman and tighten up central midfield, Constable hit an excellent left-foot shot, after strong battling play from Hutchinson, twin brother of Woking's Tom, only for the keeper to get right behind it.

Constable was hurt again, near the end, in a challenge with keeper Knowles, but he was able to get up, albeit bruised, with Yemi Odubade replacing him for the final couple of minutes.

Oxford Utd: Turley, Batt, Willmott, Foster, Sandwith; Chapman (Hutchinson 52), Clist, Murray, Carruthers (Haldane 59), Farrell, Constable (Odubade 88). Subs not used: Hinchliffe, Nelthorpe.

Booked: Hutchinson.

Ref: Andy Hendley (West Midlands).

Att: 3,791 (2,100 from Oxford)