Oxford United safely made it through in the first round of the Emirates FA Cup this afternoon as a brace of Billy Bodin goals earned them a 2-0 win over Maidenhead United at the Kassam Stadium.
There can’t have been many games in the history of this competition where both Managers were banned - Alan Devonshire and Liam Manning both watching from the South Stand - but everyone in the crowd of 4,094 will have appreciated what turned out to be a full-blooded cup tie in which the visitors fought for everything and pushed United all the way.
With Sam Long injured and Fin Stevens ineligible, United moved Stan Mills to right wing-back and brought Stephan Negru and Jordan Thorniley back into a three-man backline, either side of skipper Elliott Moore. They did an excellent job in front of Simon Eastwood, with Mills and Greg Leigh always available to augment the attack down the sides.
That paid off after 15 minutes as United scored a contender for goal of the round, a flowing move full of one-touch passes that ended with Mills able to deliver from the right. The on-loan Everton man has now contributed five assists this season, with Bodin providing the finishing touch to this one with a touch that beat Maidenhead keeper Craig Ross via the right-hand post.
That opened the game up nicely and Maidenhead became increasingly ambitious while United were solid without quite hitting the heights which we know they are capable of.
The lively Reece Smith made a couple of forays into the United box, Jayden Mitchell-Lawson scooped wide when he might have done better soon after, Kane Ferdinand poked another chance wide, and Eastwood had to make a good save from Mitchell-Lawson as the Magpies threatened to become the first visiting team to score at that end of the ground this season.
Referee Dale Baines, whose brother Leighton played in a final for Everton, kept things moving nicely in a game that was always competitive but saw plenty of tough challenges, and the visitors continued to press United back in the early stages of the second half.
Sub Alan Massey went close with a low drive and the Magpies were still very much in the game at the hour stage. Ruben Rodrigues and Josh Murphy then injected energy for the final half hour, and with Marcus McGuane and Ciaron Brown coming on, United began to regain control as the away side understandably tired.
After 82 minutes United's name was in the hat as Cameron Brannagan opened up the visiting defence for Bodin - sub Sonny Perkins already stripped and ready to replace him. Bodin's first effort was blocked by Ross, but the rebound came back to him and he rolled his fifth of the season home and the contest was finally over.
As results elsewhere illustrate, things can go magnificently wrong when you take on a side from a lower league. Credit to Maidenhead who can be proud of their performance and commitment, but credit also to the U's who were thoroughly professional, matched their opponents for effort, and safely made it through to the next round.
Job done.
Att: 4,094 including 663 away and 2 Managers
Fifty/50 winning number 100144 wins £302
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Lydia Wakeford, Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds and Darrell Fisher. Stats by OPTA