Oxford United Women got their first 90 minutes of pre-season match fitness in the tank this afternoon at Court Place Farm, but Daisy McLachlan’s impressive second half finish wasn’t enough to overturn Wolves’ two first half goals.
The away side were quick to establish a lead with an early effort past the grasp of keeper Rose Kite to make it 1-0 within the first five minutes.
The U’s' newest signing Beth Lumsden posed the greatest threat to the Wolves goalkeeper on 21 minutes when her strike from the edge of the box forced a fine diving effort but shortly before half time Wolves doubled their advantage with a low shot from the right edge of the penalty area into the far corner of the net.
Liam Gilbert’s side grabbed a goal back in the opening minutes of the second half when McLachlan seized the ball from a Wolves mistake on the edge of the box before arrowing a low shot into the left corner of the goal.
United enjoyed an extended period of possession in the opposition half in an enthralling game, however the defence was called into action on 75 minutes when Wolves
had a succession of shots within the box blocked at close range
Oxford had a couple of good chances to level the scores as proceedings drew to a close, but the equaliser wasn’t to be with the visiting keeper doing well to save second half substitute Cheryl Williams’ powerful shot at point-blank range.
Both sides battled away in the remaining moments of the game, but it was the visitors who claimed victory despite an encourahing perforformance from the U's.
UNITED: Kite, Wallace, Mackenzie, Sims, Alexander, Haynes, Stevens, King, Lumsden, McLachlan, Grove
SUBS (all used): Ashley, Childerhouse, Hines, Jeal, Johns, Williams
Report by Jacob Gill, pictures Darrell Fisher