Five-goal thriller ushers in a new dawn…again!
Written by: Phil Viles
9 November 2009
One Comment
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Once more the hex which seems to shadow our followed team appeared in the form of a late goal at the Pirelli Stadium as our Cup team in our FA Cup Quest were cruelly beaten. It means that for the 4th consecutive time we must switch our allegiance to the victors, in this case League Two side Burton Albion.
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It’s the first time on the Quest that we’ve followed a League side. But because Burton beat ‘our’ team Oxford City in a rip-roaring humdinger of a game, it’s the Brewers who we’ll be following into the 2nd Round.
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Oxford were desperately unlucky not to take Burton back to their poky Court Place Farm ground, as Burton’s first venture into the FA Cup as a league side almost ended embarrassingly.
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Oxford, eager to continue their Cup run after their city rivals Oxford United beat Yeovil on Saturday, never for a moment looked overawed by the occasion, and were within seconds of a draw when Burton’s Ryan Austin earned the Brewers a battling 3-2 win with almost the last action of the game.
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The game had all the ingredients of a classic early-round FA Cup tie, with both sides enjoying spells on top, both holding the lead and no challenge shirked all afternoon.
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Oxford got off to a dream start, albeit courtesy of a goalkeeping howler from Artur Krysiak, when he let Michael Alexis’s bouncing drive slip through his grasp.
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Eight minutes later Burton’s Aaron Webster sent over a good cross from the left and Oxford’s experienced defender David Perpetuini pushed Shaun Harrad from behind as the striker went for the ball.
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Harrad picked himself up and laced his penalty into the corner for parity.
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Burton were now looking like the better side, as they confidently shifted the ball around the park.
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And they finally stamped their class on the game with a fine second goal a minute before the break when Michael Simpson slid a lovely pass through to meet Maghoma’s run, and the midfielder slipped the ball coolly past Knight’s left hand from six yards.
At 2-1, and with Burton now in the ascendancy, half-time couldn’t come soon enough for Oxford. But whatever City boss Mick Ford told his players in the interval it certainly galvanized them to brilliant effect, as they pegged the league side back, making their hosts sweat.
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Therefore, it was no surprise when the equaliser came. The impressive Mark Janes raided down the right and fired over a cross which was met with a superb far post header by Jamie Brooks, which eluded Krysiak and planted itself firmly in the bottom corner.
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It was now a cracking cup tie, fizzing with excitement, and it seemed that if there was to be a winner, it would come from the non-leaguers. But Andy Ballard’s reckless assault on Serge Makofo in the dying minutes set up the deadball from which Austin’s last minute header broke Oxford hearts.
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The deflation emitted from the Oxford supporters was palpable. They had deserved at least a draw but had been defeated by a cruel twist right at the end.
As a result of Burton’s victory we are now Burton followers, as they go to League One Gillingham in the 2nd Round.
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Although, the way in which they knocked ‘our’ team out means that this time our allegiance is going to be hard to switch. But those are the rules of our Quest. So it’s bye-bye City, C’mon you Brewers.
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[...] attended two FA Cup matches this season, one when Burton Albion took on Oxford City at the Pirelli Stadium and the game at Pride Park where Derby knocked out Doncaster to go into the last 16 [...]
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