MincheryFarmWeb

So, coming to the end of another week. The Blue Square Premier may soon be down to 23, the 12th Man get a replacement for Potter, 2 wins, and Luton get a let-off.

It looks like the whole Chester situation is finally coming to an end. After a game called off because the players, not paid for 3 months, refused to travel, then another because the police wouldn’t turn up unpaid, the Conference board are finally starting the final countdown. They have recommended the expulsion of Chester from the Conference after they admitted (without much choice) several breaches of the rules. The death rattle is dragged out slightly because it needs to go t oa full vote of all member clubs. But at least for Chester fans it is almost all over.

Luton on the other hand have got away with it. They were the 3rd team this season to play Craig Nelthorpe against United. Normally a player can only play for 2 clubs in a season (an issue that will affect Portsmouth’s fire-sale), Nelthorpe has played for York, Barrow and Luton. They’ve got away with it because the games for Barrow were during an “Emergency Loan” spell, which for some reason doesn’t seem to count. Of course, had it been Oxford….

With Alfie Potter’s hamstring injury set to keep him out for over a month, Chris Wilder has signed Coventry winger Ashley Cain on an “emergency loan”. He can play out wide or in the middle, and has bags of pace. Cain netted a hattrick against U’s in a friendly earlier this season. The 12th Man fund has supported the signing.

Two good wins this week, although with slightly underwhelming performances, have taken United back clear on top of the BSP. The game against Histon saw United create bags of chances, but only score twice. Against Rushden, chances were at a premium, but Oxford got the vital goal from the penalty spot late on. Now, a break from BSP action until midweek. Saturday sees the visit of Kidderminster in the FA Trophy quarter-final. Just three games from the final (the semi-finals are two legged), United have a decent chance of some Wembley glory. A league and cup double would be a fine way to end our non-league stay…..

The Blue Square Premier was shaken up again, Oxford United returning to the top of the league after a 2-0 win over Histon.

The only thing that wasn’t changed was U’s team; the same team that faced Luton on Tuesday.

United played towards the East Stand in the first half, and were unlucky to be kept goal-less. Lots of chances and lots of corners all came to nothing. Histon were reduced to 10 men after a defender was given a straight red for bringing down Alfie Potter when clean through.

U’s grabbed an early goal in the second. Super Sammy Deering curling in a free-kick from distance that evaded everyone and went straight in.

LSD Celebrates His Goal

U’s second goal came late on after an awful howler by a Histon defender. Jack Midson was presented with the ball and squared selflessly for sub Matt Green to tap in.

A pleasing win was made all the better by news that Stevenage and York had lost. The results put Oxford back on top of the league with two games in hand.

MFW’s man of the match was the magnificent Hargreavesio. Involved in everything, leading by example.

Now onto a from Boxing Day 2 to the match that should have been Boxing Day 1; Rushden at the KasStad. We’ve at least got covers on the pitch now to make sure it’s on.