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Tes Torments Tenacious U’s

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County were looking to build on Tuesday’s massive win at Bury with another massive win here today against Oxford, and possible move up to 17th place.

Jim Gannon would keep the exact team that beat Bury on Tuesday night, and with a pitch that had been cut up significantly since Sale Sharks had played on the Friday night he would be looking to get an early goal and keep the lead.

Oxford won the toss at kick off and decided to switch ends so that County would be kicking towards the Cheadle End in the first half.

County, ideally, would have liked an early chance to get the crowd going and not let the atmosphere get dull. County got that early chance when Hamshaw crossed from the right, but the diving Bramble could not get his foot on the end of the cross.

Spencer pulled off a good save at the other end, Burgess tried a shot from 18 yards but a finger tip save from Spencer was enough to keep it out.

Hamshaw should have give County the lead, when Griffin pulled the ball back for him from the by-line and Hamshaw, who was charging in at speed, could not direct the shot properly and it went over the bar and into the Cheadle End.

Bramble had a chance a couple of minutes later, when the keeper came out to collect the ball and Bramble beat him too it, but Bramble’s shot was too weak and it was stopped on the line. Bramble again broke free from the defence after about 15 minutes, but his shot was well saved by Oxford keeper Turley. Was this to be Bramble’s day?

Well just minutes later, a miss-timed back-pass from the Oxford defence was collected by Bramble, and he coolly slotted home from 6 yards to give County the important lead.

The Cheadle End thought that County had another goal just minutes later when a Hamshaw free kick found it’s way to Dickinson, but he toe-poked his shot just wide off the post.

Bramble had another chance minute’s later, when some good build-up play from County ended up with a left foot volley from Bramble going wide by quite a bit.

The half time whistle went and County would take a valuable lead into the break, however Oxford came out looking much more dangerous and looked like they would eventually get a goal.

The Oxford number 7 who was lightning quick, Odubade, was causing a lot of problems for the County defence and he had a shot well blocked by Jamie Spencer in the first 5 minutes of the second half.

Tim Sills got the vital equaliser for Oxford, when some good build up play resulted with a cross coming in from the by-line and Sills was left unmarked at the back post to head it into an empty net.

Steve Basham should have give Oxford the lead, his diving header went just wide.

A bad tackle on Dickinson, which the referee didn’t give, seemed to fire Dickinson up. He went flying in to a tackle and won the ball, then he broke away and should have scored. He was brought down on the edge of the area after he got his shot away though, and County had a free kick from 18 yards out, Danny Boshell struck it and it was well saved by Turley.

County got a penalty in the 87th minute, when a good ball from Adam Griffin set Tes Bramble free and he was brought down inside the box to hand County another late chance to win the game.

Adam Le Fondre stepped up and coolly slotted the ball home, though the Oxford keeper got very close to it.

The referee blew the final whistle after 3 minutes of injury time to signal another County win, and in an amazing turn around, led by Jim Gannon, County have moved up 7 places in 14 games we are now 17th, yes I did say 17th?..

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4 comments

  • StockportJack says:

    What a win! 17th place?! 17th place?! After Boxing Day that is tremendous! Who needs Mourinho, When we’ve got Jimbo…….

  • cropped says:

    Whats happened to Bramble? Have we got his more talented twin playing for us now? Great result, maybe a touch fortunate though in my book. Still….who cares?!

  • greyhound says:

    Great alliteration in the title! Barnstorming Bramble Bashes Bulls.

  • StockportJack says:

    Maybe we had Titus playing upfront for us under Turner?

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