Oxford United made it five successive league wins for the first time since April 2008 following their 3-2 victory at Shrewsbury Town.
The U’s found themselves two goals down before Josh Vela was dismissed for a second bookable offence for the Shrews. A first-half goal from Marcus Browne reduced the deficit, before Dan Agyei and Josh Ruffels secured the win, which moves Karl Robinson’s side up to 3rd.
Oxford Continue Winning Run
Automatic Promotion Back on the Cards?
Oxford United occupied a top-two position earlier in this season but a poor start to 2020 saw them drop out of the playoffs entirely. However, following a run of five successive wins, the U’s find themselves just two points behind Rotherham United in second place.
It is extremely tight at the top in League One. Karl Robinson’s side have 60 points, but there are five teams below them on 59 points – two of which have a game in hand on the U’s.
Oxford welcome Robinson’s former side, MK Dons, next week before back to back matches against promotion rivals in Wycombe Wanderers and Portsmouth. If they can navigate this spell unscathed, then there is every chance they could be in the top two come May.
Squad Game
In recent weeks, Matty Taylor and James Henry have taken all the headlines – and rightly so.
Before the Shrewsbury match, Taylor had scored seven from his last six games and the pair were responsible for scoring nine of their 11 goals. Taylor took his tally to 17 for the season, while Henry, who has also provided seven of Taylor’s strikes this season, has also scored 14.
But against the Shrews, it wasn’t the dynamic duo that stole the headlines. Browne, who has also shone since his return to the club on loan, netted a clever goal before the break, but it was substitute Agyei – a player that many supporters have been despairing to see – score his third U’s goal to level the game.
It was a terrific strike, too. The attacker picked the ball up on the end of the box and bent it terrifically into the top corner with his left foot.
Ruffels, an integral part of Robinson’s squad this season having played 44 times – headed home a deserved winner three minutes from time with his third league goal of the season.
