A young United side were beaten 2-1 by a strong Oxford City side in the final of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup tonight at Court Place Farm.
United used the game to give 11 of their Academy players and graduates a chance to impress, but it was another youth-team product who won the game, with Josh Ashby sidefooting home a second-half winner after Joe Iaciofano had cancelled out Tyler Goodrham's early opener.
United got off to a flying start when Goodrham volleyed them ahead after just six minutes. United’s captain for the night showed terrific technique to swivel and hit a loose ball into the top corner after left-winger Will Owens’ cross had not been cleared by the City defence.
Goodrham went close with another long-range effort soon after, but on 15 minutes City hit back when top scorer Iaciofano latched on to a rebound and fired past keeper Fraser Barnsley to make it 1-1.
In an incident packed first half, the experienced Elliot Benyon nodded another chance against the bar as well as forcing Barnsley into a good save either side of Goodrham and Josh Anifowose going close at the other end, with City having the bulk of the play but both sides committed to attack.
Barnsley was in action again soon after the break with a smart save from the always influential Ashby, a Senior Cup winner with both clubs, while Charlie Rowan should have scored from a free header after 58 minutes as City's experience began to tell.
A goal was coming, and after Barnsley had made another good save, the resulting corner wasn't dealt with and Ashby made it 2-1 with a calm finish from six yards out after the ball had been cut back into his path.
United applied late pressure, but with another former youth team skipper Canice Carroll marshalling their defence, City held firm and were worthy winners at the end of an entertaining game played competitively but always in the right spirit: exactly what the competition is all about.
UNITED
Barnsley, Franklin (Sade 84), Zabeli, Golding, Elechi, Johnson, Anifowose, Goodrham (Tiamuna 82), Smith, Owens, O’Donkor
Report by Chris Williams, pictures by Steve Edmunds