Brave Blues mount stirring comeback
15th March 2008 17:00 | by Nik BakerTwo goals from Alex Toogood, one with the last kick of the match, secured the Blues a morale-boosting draw against their 'town' rivals Oxford City.
In their penultimate match before meeting Cambridge in the 124th Varsity Match on Saturday 29th March, an obviously motivated Oxford Blues flew out of the blocks on a slick, bordering on boggy, Iffley Road surface. They dominated the opening half, exposing the flaws in Oxford City's 3-5-2 formation to create a number of clear-cut opportunities. However, a combination of the slippy surface and some wasteful finishing meant that the score remained level at half-time.
The second half was an entirely different story, as City's switch to 4-4-2 brought them into the game. Just before the hour a two-minute slack spell from the Blues resulted in City snatching two goals, the first a screamer in the top corner from 30-yards, the second a near-post tap-in.
The Blues were shaken, but gradually regained composure as the excellent Cameron Knight started to drive the team forwards with real purpose for the first time in the half. Alex Toogood halved City's lead with 20 minutes to go after some great work from Tom Howell down the left flank, before equalising with the very last kick of the match after James Kelly had danced away from a pack of defenders on the edge of the opposition's penalty area.
