Oxford United got back on track with an emphatic 4-2 win at Exeter City this afternoon.
Two goals from Kyle Joseph and strikes from midfield talisman Cameron Brannagan and Sam Long saw United open up a four-goal lead before goals from Jevani Brown and Sonny Cox gave the scoreline a more respectable look for the home side.
United, in the navy third kit they seem to reserve for trips to Devon, completely dominated the first half in particular and were able to cruise through the second period as a result.
They got off to the perfect start when Brannagan, the game’s central player all afternoon, stepped up to hammer a free kick into the bottom left corner after just 12 minutes.
They might have been two goals up when a goalbound drive from the hard-working James Henry was smuggled wide via a deflection and then after 23 minutes when Joseph found space inside the box but could only steer his header into the grateful gloves of keeper Jamal Blackman. No matter.
United’s workrate was ferocious, their determination evident all over the pitch, making the Grecians earn even a yard of space, and on 32 minutes they were 2-0 up when Brannagan again found space to blast at goal. Blackman palmed it away, Elliott Moore pushed the rebound back towards goal and Long lashed gleefully home for his first goal of the season.
It was to get even better two minutes before the break. Ciaron Brown, excellent as always, robbed a defender on half way and freed Joseph with half the pitch to run into and home defenders back pedalling. Joseph has pace and power and on this occasion perfect timing as he reached the edge of the box and accurately drilled the ball into the bottom-left corner to give the U’s a three-goal lead at the break with his fourth goal in United colours.
Exeter, under caretaker managerment, regrouped at half time and tried desperately to find a way back into the game, but with Marcus McGuane shielding the back line they found it hard to get a sight of Simon Eastwood's goal and on 54 minutes it was 4-0 and game over when Joseph hammered home his second of the day.
It came at a price, with the brave Brannagan hurt in the build up, but he soldiered on and Henry let fly at goal from the edge of the box. Blackman again got gloves to the ball but it fell to Joseph, who thumped it into the roof of the net to send the away fans behind that goal into a sea of limbs.
With the game safe with an hour gone and the home fans already heading for the Exeter exits, United were in control but gave the remaining home supporters something to celebrate, first after 65 minutes when Brown let fly and saw his shot deflected into the left side of the net with Eastwood already committed to the other side of the goal. Cox then rolled the ball into an empty net after 90 minutes to make the scoreline closer than the game actually was.
Recent performances have been better than results would suggest but the team spirit can rarely been in question. Today everything seemed to fall into place. A big step forward, but just one step all the same. United need to build on it and make sure there are many more final whistles where the team and fans applaud each other's efforts, as they did this afternoon.
Devon sent.
Att: 6,926
Away: 766
Report by Chris Williams, pictures by Darrell Fisher and Steve Edmunds, stats by OPTA