Oxford United Women drew 0-0 with Spurs U21s this evening in a pre-season friendly.
The U’s, against Championship opposition, haven’t seen much of the ball in their last three pre-season fixtures, but this was a very different story, with the U’s dominating possession against the young Spurs side.
The day’s earlier thunderstorms had passed, and the sun shone on the eye-catching light blue third shirt in its debut fixture.
The lively Lacy Liggett had some early chances saved well by Alice Russell, who played a few times for the Development Squad last year, and Zoe Barratt was excellent, finding space in behind on numerous occasions.
United continued to move the ball well, but despite Barratt hitting the inside of the post with five minutes of the first period to play, they couldn’t find the breakthrough and went into the break level.
Spurs defended tenaciously against a United side that are starting to link up creatively. Sarah King so nearly found the lead in the 66th minute, taking a superb touch inside her full back but seeing her strike denied low at the near post by Russell.
The U’s made four changes after that, Daisy McLachlan, Lily Stevens, Katie Sherwood and a Trialist replacing King, Leah Burridge, Jaime Gotch and Paris Sercombe.
McLachlan almost provided the key within five minutes, a clever defence splitting pass finding Barratt inside the box, who hit the post for a second time.
Taome Oliver, Georgia Hayes and Amy Woodhead then came on for a Trialist, Hannah Mackenzie and Cecily Wellesley-Smith in the final fifteen minutes of what became a feisty occasion for pre-season.
Oxford did everything except hit the back of the net, and Liam Gilbert can take comfort in the fact that his side will create lots this season. The U’s now look ahead to an away friendly at Swindon on Sunday.
LINEUP: Sercombe (Trialist 67’), Mackenzie (Hayes 74’), Gotch (Sherwood 67), Wellesley-Smith (Woodhead 79’), Trialist, Burridge (Stevens 67’), Legg, Trialist (Oliver 74’), Liggett, Barratt, King (McLachlan 67’)