U’s held to draw as Robins finish game with nine men in fiery encounter - chof 360 news

OXFORD United were held to a 1-1 draw in a feisty encounter at home against Bristol City, who finished the game with nine men.

The result extended Gary Rowett’s unbeaten run in Sky Bet Championship to nine games upon former head coach Liam Manning’s return to Grenoble Road.

Robins midfielder Joe Williams was shown a straight red card just after half an hour had been played for a crude challenge on Will Vaulks, before both teams found the net in the second half.

Greg Leigh put the U’s in the lead when his left wing cross trickled inside the far post shortly before the hour mark, but Mark Sykes grabbed a leveller six minutes later when he rifled in following a smart free kick routine.

The Robins then saw Ross McCrorie shown a second yellow card with four minutes left, as the visitors managed to hold on with nine men in the closing stages.

Rowett made one change from the side which claimed a goalless draw at Stoke City, as Mark Harris came in for Tom Bradshaw.

The first half was a stop-start affair with little in the way of either side building any rhythm, not helped of course by the red card shown to Williams.

Siriki Dembele squirmed to the left-hand byline inside the opening 10 minutes, before slamming an effort towards the near post, where Robins goalkeeper Max O’Leary was able to take the effort in his midriff.

Good link-up play between Przemyslaw Placheta and Peter Kioso then resulted in the latter flashing in a right wing cross, but Harris was just unable to make contract with the whizzing ball.

A neat United move ended with Harris teeing up Placheta with a clever backheel, but the winger sent his effort from the edge of the penalty area comfortably off target midway through the half.

A couple of minutes later, a short corner was worked to Placheta, who crashed a left-footed 25-yard strike over the crossbar.

Placheta was the main attacking threat for the U’s, and just before half an hour had been played, the winger cut inside and shot from the right channel of the box, however the save was a comfortable one for O’Leary.

Then came a huge moment in the game as Williams was given his marching orders for a challenge on Vaulks close to the centre circle.

The following quarter of an hour of the first half saw both teams eye each other up, with the Robins adjusting to being a man down, but there was no serious goalmouth action at either end.

Two minutes into the second period, Michal Helik headed over at the near post from an inswinging Cameron Brannagan corner.

At the other end, a well-hit volley from Mark Sykes brought a good save out of Jamie Cumming, and from the resulting corner, Rob Dickie headed narrowly wide.

United then began a spell of sustained pressure, with Ciaron Brown driving a shot into the gloves of O’Leary after the Robins had failed to clear their lines.

Then came the opening goal, as Leigh struck a first-time cross from the right channel of the penalty box, with the ball deceiving the Robins backline and sneaking inside the far post.

The Robins hit straight back though as a smart free kick was played across to Sykes, who hammered in against his former club from the edge of the box.

Rowett made his first alterations with 73 minutes on the clock, as Hidde ter Avest and Tyler Goodrham replaced Kioso and Ruben Rodrigues respectively.

The U’s then needed a sensational bit of recovery defending from Brannagan, who got across to thwart a Robins counter-attack after a ball over the top had got George Earthy clean through on goal.

Rowett made another double switch six minutes after his initial one, this time bringing on Alex Matos and Ole Romeny in place of Vaulks and Placheta.

With four minutes to go, the Robins were reduced to nine men after McCrorie was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Brown.

Four minutes were added on, and although things got a bit frantic inside the Robins box, United were unable to find a dramatic winner.

Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Cumming; Kioso (ter Avest 73), Helik, Brown, Leigh; Vaulks (Matos 79), Brannagan; Placheta (Romeny 79), Rodrigues (Goodrham, 73), Dembele; Harris (Bradshaw 89).

Unused subs: Ingram, Long, El Mizouni, Phillips.

Booked: Leigh, Brannagan, Helik, Matos.

Sent off: None.

Bristol City (3-4-2-1): O’Leary; Vyner, Dickie, McNally; Sykes, Williams, Knight, McCrorie; Earthy (McGuane 80), Twine (Bird 46); Wells (Armstrong 46 (Tanner 90+1)).

Unused subs: Bajic, Hirakawa, Mehmeti, Bell, Roberts.

Booked: McCrorie, Bird, O’Leary.

Sent off: Williams, McCrorie.

Referee: Oliver Langford (Lancashire)

Attendance: 11,430 (TBC visitors)