Oxford United's U18s returned to winning ways with three points at home as they overcame Forest Green Rovers in the Youth Alliance League on Tuesday afternoon.
It was a scrappy first half, leaving it goalless at the break. The U’s started the second half on the front foot, before getting the deserved opener through Mubarak Abolade in the 68th minute.
With United needing a reaction after a disappointing result in Plymouth at the weekend, a couple of changes were made to the side, with Kasway Burton starting up top for Pablo Haysham's young U's. It was a scrappy and pretty uneventful first half of football between the sides, taking 36 minutes for the first chance of the game to arrive with Burton exploiting his pace, giving the visitors defence a lot to think about.
With nothing to separate the sides at the break, the U’s came out in the second 45 looking to break the deadlock and find the opener.
Some good link-up play between Burton and Abolade created a couple of chances for Oxford, with both attempts drifting just wide. Josh Holton was next to test the keeper, forcing a decent save from the Forest Green shot stopper.
The opener deservedly arrived for the Yellows in the 68th minute, with Burton and Abolade linking up once again. Burton beat his man down the left and was able to put it on a plate for Abolade, giving him a tap in to make it 1-0.
The visitors attempted to pile on the pressure in the last 20 minutes as they tried to find an equaliser. However, a resilient United defence was able to hold out and pick up an important three points and a clean sheet to top things off.
The win takes United to 4th in the table, four points off AFC Wimbledon, the league leaders.
UNITED: Jackson, Mole, Gardner, Bangurah (Cramond 72), Lacey, Doyle (Dourish 72), Abolade, Bradney, Burton, Holton, Snowden
Unused Subs: Collins, Griffith, Adefila