Dane Scarlett scored for the second game running in Oxford’s 1-1 draw with Derby at the Kassam Stadium – their fifth successive Championship stalemate.
Scarlett, making his first league start for the U’s, fired them in front in the 12th minute, deftly turning in Idris El Mizouni’s cutback from the left after good work from Siri Dembele.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing drilled in an equaliser from 18 yards for the Rams 10 minutes into the second half after Will Vaulks gave the ball away.
Both teams had come up from League One and settled in well in English football’s second tier, Oxford perhaps unexpectedly so.
Head coach Paul Warne made four changes to Derby’s starting line-up from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Millwall, where they had to settle for a point after a late Lions goal.
Oxford winger Dembele had the game’s first shot but fired well over from 25 yards.
Scarlett’s early goal came from a fine move of slick passing and County were close to equalising a minute later when Ben Nelson managed to block Mendez-Laing’s fierce shot.
The visitors had to wait until past the half-hour mark, however, before they delivered another effort on goal, Ben Osborn connecting with Corey Blackett-Taylor’s left-wing cross but sending it wide.
United winger Tyler Goodrham then charged in from the right to fire a cross just beyond the far post and a few minutes later fizzed a 25-yard drive narrowly wide from a similar angle.
County looked lively at the start of the second half, frequently breaking forward with menace.
Kenzo Goudmijn saw Nelson block his goalbound shot and when Mendez-Laing levelled, drilling an angled shot into the bottom-left corner, it was probably deserved on the balance of play.
A brief respite for the U’s came with a free-kick from outside the area that Scarlett struck well but into goalkeeper Jacob Zetterstrom’s arms.
Oxford manager Des Buckingham brought on ex-Derby midfielder Louie Sibley and Josh McEachran to strengthen the middle of the pitch and top scorer Mark Harris to replace a tiring Scarlett.
It became frantic at both ends of the pitch towards the end.
United finished the stronger, with Sibley setting himself up a volley that forced Zetterstrom into a save before Goodrham similarly went close from long range in stoppage time.
The hard-fought point apiece leaves both teams in mid-table and maintains Oxford’s unbeaten home record.
Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledged no one at Nottingham Forest expected to be third in April but backed his team to embrace the challenge after they started a huge week with victory at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth in the Premier League after weekend wins for Champions League qualification rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa, yet responded with aplomb in the capital.Early efforts...
Chris Wood’s 19th goal of the season fired Nottingham Forest back up to third in the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth after the weekend’s results, but Nuno Espirito Santo savoured a sweet three points against old club Spurs after early goals from Elliot Anderson and Wood in the capital.It brought Ange Postecoglou’s team back down to earth aft...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted his players for holding their nerve after a 6-0 home win against Stoke helped seal promotion back to the Premier League.Joel Piroe scored four goals, including Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick, with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gn...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill sent the Clarets back into the Premier League with both goals in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United that also saw Leeds promoted and left the Blades relying on the play-offs.Scott Parker made it three promotions with three different clubs in the space of six seasons as Burnley extended their unbeaten league run to a club-record 31 games, bouncing straight back to the Pr...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill joked the Clarets had “bored our way to the Premier League” after a 2-1 win at home to Sheffield United confirmed their return to the top flight at the first attempt.Scott Parker’s side have conceded just 15 goals in 44 matches and victory over their promotion rivals ensured they could not be caught with two matches remaining.“I’m speech...
West Brom have announced the departure of Tony Mowbray after the club’s play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 Championship defeat at home to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes...
Ian Holloway emphasised his pride in his resurgent Swindon side, despite Will Wright’s own goal against Bromley ending their slim play-off hopes.Danny Imray nutmegged Tom Nichols on the byline and fired a low ball into the box which bounced off the hapless defender’s shin in the 88th minute, condemning the Robins to a 1-0 loss.Kabongo Tshimanga had earlier missed a first-half penalty f...
Grant McCann admitted the task ahead for him is to keep his players calm after Doncaster put themselves within touching distance of promotion with a 3-0 win over Colchester.Goals from Harry Clifton, Jordan Gibson and Patrick Kelly saw Rovers power into top spot in League Two.It means a victory over promotion rivals Bradford this weekend will see them promoted to League One but McCann is determined...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted four-goal Joel Piroe after his side thrashed Stoke 6-0 at Elland Road to stand on the brink of Premier League promotion.Piroe fired Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gnonto headed Leeds’ sixt...
Tony Mowbray felt West Brom “lacked a bit of courage on the ball” as their play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes until ...
- 1 Jordan Bowery earns Mansfield a point at Rotherham
- 2 Grant McCann to keep Doncaster players calm despite being on brink of promotion
- 3 Four Tottenham stars could leave this summer
- 4 PL side eyeing summer move for Rashford
- 5 Mentality and spirit unbelievable – Daniel Farke praises promoted Leeds players
- 6 Newcastle continue to impress in absence of Eddie Howe with Crystal Palace rout
- 7 Man City in pole position to secure Morgan Gibbs
- 8 Liverpool interested in signing Mason Greenwood
- 9 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive
- 10 Pop icon with £580M net worth makes appearance at Stamford Bridge