Match Report | Oxford United

Ten man United were left with a point today against Ebbsfleet. A short lived return for Rob Duffy ended with a red card but United kept battling to earn themselves a hard fought draw.

United welcomed Eddie Hutchinson back into the team in midfield, his return coinciding with Stefan Bailey's return to QPR after his loan, and Eddie Anaclet at right back in place of the suspended Matt Day.

It was the newly taken over Fleet who had the first opportunity when Chukkie Eribenne headed straight at Billy Turley from seven yards on seven minutes, but a neat move on nine ended with Yemi Odubade latching on to a nicely weighted pass from Alex Jennin and testing Fleet keeper Lance Cronin for the first time as the game opened up.

A fine pass from Hutchinson freed Odubade again on nineteen, with Cronin again able to field the shot without too many problems but the first half hour was full of good intentions rather than good chances, with neither side able to find a way past the well organized defences.

When a chance did come along on 35 minutes Kieron St Aimie headed wide from six yards from a Jeannin cross which he will have seen late as defenders threw themselves at it, and a minute later the best chance of the half fell to Paddy Collins who just couldn't adjust his feet to knock the ball home after a St Aimie flick on.

Barry Quinn handled the ball and should have conceded a penalty on 40 minutes, but otherwise not too much happened and Oxford fans went for a nice warming cup of tea while Ebbsfleet fans logged on to change the formation, switch subs, order a new stand and vote for the team next week.

It was as if the Oxford fans had that power instead when United emerged in a 4-4-2 shape with sub Alex Fisher on in place of St Aimie, but United were fortunate to keep that many players on the pitch ten minutes after the break as Quinn saw a clearance charged down by Eribenne and then tripped the striker on the edge of the box as the pair tussled. With another Ebbsfleet player free alongside them it was the clearest case of denying a scoring opportunity since Amy Winehouse went to rehab, but ref Creighton awarded only a yellow card and a free kick, which The Fleet wasted with a shot which flew to safety off the wall.

Odubade nodded a great chance over the bar on 62 as United pressed , and with Collins looking just as accomplished at right back as he had done in an impressive first half at centre back and Fisher looking far from out of his depth United started to put plenty of pressure on their opponents: plenty more flow than Ebb.

The pressure nearly told on 74 minutes as a fine Anaclet cross was met at the far post by Phil Trainer, who headed down in text book style but saw Cronin push his header away at the base of the post. Sixty seconds later and Anaclet almost found the way through as he latched on to the ball six yards out, swivelled past the defender but saw his left footed effort come back off the post, with Odubade lashing the rebound into the side netting from a tight angle.

Ebbsfleet came back and on 76 minutes only a fine save with his feet by Turley denied Erribenne as the striker drove low at the near post, and the game was still there for the taking by either side before a moment of controversy as Rob Duffy's comeback lasted twenty seconds! The welsh striker came on for Anaclet, jogged into position, seemed to lash out at Mark Ricketts as he went past him, and was red carded for the briefest possible appearance. Honest/Arsene Wenger truth: we didn't see what he is alleged to have done, only saw the defender on the deck, as did most of the crowd, but perhaps Quinn should have gone earlier so a kind of justice was done.

Far from going into their shell United redoubled their efforts and it took a great save from Cronin to deny Pettefer on 83 as the midfielder found room in the box, but Turley then made an equally good save on 87 to keep out a fierce shot from McPhee.There was a short first appearance by youth team midfielder Declan Benjamin, another encouraging sign of new boss Darren Patterson's faith in youth, and five minutes of injury time in an extraordinary afternoon's entertainment which had just about everything but the goal.

A game that deserved a goal but which will be remembered for fan power at Ebbsfleet and Duffy's short return by Oxford supporters