2015/16 Prediction League; Game 32 v Oxford United (Wy)

Div3North · 18-02-2016, 13:09

Oxford United

V

Accrington Stanley

2015/16 Prediction League; Game 32 v Oxford (away)

Curly Keith wasn’t a happy bunny after Ibehre’s attempt to decapitate Matty on Tuesday resulted in a red card, was he?

• “Carlisle United manager Keith Curle says the red card issued to forward Jabo Ibehre after 34 seconds against Accrington was a "poor decision". The 33-year-old was sent off for a high challenge on Stanley defender Matty Pearson in Tuesday's 1-1 draw (Fourth quickest ever, apparently). Curle criticised the Accrington players for surrounding referee Jeremy Simpson following the incident and Pearson's reaction. "It was disappointing to see seven or eight Accrington Stanley players charging in and around the referee. Then the lad got up - he had to stay down out of embarrassment," Curle said. "Then he had to get up and the worst thing he came up with was a twisted sock. It did look bad right at the top - you couldn't see the club emblem or anything."

Sarcasm apart, I notice he was very silent indeed about his team’s antics when they tried to get Bucko sent off – looked like the picket lines of the 70s, their number 5 almost had the ref’s kit off, and someone remarked on his triumphalism when the second yellow/red came out ............Bit hypocritical, do we think?

Third plays fourth this weekend, and first plays fifth ............two “six-pointers” (never understood why they give double points out), and certainly going to be two games of two halves (making four in all), allowing the Cobblers to do us another favour, having done Oxford 1-0 away with a second half penalty for handball ............ Apparently Michael Appleton criticised the officials after Morse Town United lost that game (they were standing in an offside position, or drank too much tea, or something ............) – and have you seen that Northampton have a 70% win record (21/30) including their last 8? Saying that, and them apart, we’re still the form team in League Two over the last seven fixtures (W4 D1 L2, bettered only by ......have a guess? .......... The Wombles, on 5-1-1). Oxford sit third in the table on 55 points, with a record that reads P30 W15 D10 L5 GF 48 GA 28 ........... only Northampton (56) have scored more than they have; the Stanley and Pompey also have 48, and several sides have 46 .....28 conceded is second best after Plymouth and Pompey (26 each - we’re on 33).

They went out of the Carling 1-0 at Sheff Wed in Round Two, having done Brentford 4-0 away; the PaintyThingy has been a positive triumph; Swindon 2-0 home; Daggers 2-0 away; Yeovil 3-2 home; Millwall (2-0 away and 0-1 at home), leaving them to play Barnsley in the Final on 3rd April; the FA Cup likewise – Braintree 3-1 after an away half-Desmond, Forest Green 1-0 at home, Swansea 3-2 at home, and then losing 3-0 at home to the Rovers .......... 11 Cup games so far, GF 21 GA 11 ..........so overall, P41 W23 D11 L8 GF69 (which might take their minds off the footie) GA39

They came to our place (still called The Crown Ground in various places) on the 3rd October and took our unbeaten home League record 3-1, with us conceding 2 in the last 11 mins (both to Liam Sercombe) after Crooksy had levelled O’Dowda’s first half opener ............. that makes our overall League record against them P11 W2 D4 L5 GF6 GA18, and in 6 of those 11 we haven’t even troubled the scorers ………. the two wins were 2-1 away in 13/14 (Kayode Odejayi and James Gray), and 1-0 at home last season, Terry Gornell scoring in the 90th minute to end a five-match losing spell ....

Bits and bats in the transfer market; MF Broadway Danny Rose (27) was released and snapped up by the Cobblers (if you’ll pardon the expression); forward Pat Hoban (24) went to Stevenage on loan, having notched 5 in 33 at the Manor Ground; JoJoe Kenny, a 19 year-old England Youth International RB/DMF joined on loan from Neverton, and winger Zeli Ismail (22) did likewise from Wolves; and they raided Rotherham (sounds like a film title, that; “The Night They Raided Rotherham”) and ProperSigned 27 year-old ex international striker Chris Maguire (who spent a loan spell at Oxford earlier) and also striker Jordan Bowery (24), once of Villa (who seem to be in deep trouble, if a 6-0 home thrashing by Liverpool is anything to go by) ........they’re also without skipper Jake Wright, who limped out of Tuesday’s game with a Grade One tear in his hamstring ..............Don’t ask, I haven’t a clue; I only hold a (Scout) First Responder qualification .............

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm this coming Saturday, 20th February ................in all our years, we’ve only ever won once at their place; time to put that right, perhaps? OK, so we’re without Deano, Crooksy, Shay, Josh and Bucko (3 suspended, 2 injured), but we’ve got cover, and quite a few who haven’t played yet, never mind had a run in the side, so it’ll be fine ..........Won’t it Wynonie? What do the Voices tell you about this one, my friend?

Good luck to everyone! ............ Keep the Faith! ......... And thanks for playing!