Cruel Defeat on My First Visit to the Kassam

Yesterday at 04:17 PM

I had a wonderful few days in Northumberland last week singing with the Unthanks. As part of the event, they encourage participants to sing songs of their own. My friends and I plucked up the courage to sing on the last night and were rewarded with Rachel and Becky praising our harmonies. I am still buzzing. The trip meant that I missed the Swansea game, and I was amused to hear that discussion in the West Herts about my habit of missing high scoring games had led one of our group to place a bet on a big score. Sadly for him, and us, he lost the bet.

I had a friend visiting from the US over the weekend. She has attended a few games in the past including a cracking trip to Barnsley in 2013 for an unexpected 5-1 win. On her return to the US on that occasion, she was informed by a Scottish colleague that she was the first American to visit Barnsley since the Second World War. Having been told by an Oxford fan that this would be our worst away day of the season, and having not visited this ground before, I thought that we should make a day of it with a trip to the Ashmolean, and I booked a table in a pub close by for lunch. As it turned out, we were not up and about in time for the museum but arrived in perfect time for lunch. The pub turned out to be a good choice as the food and the beer were excellent.

We planned to get the bus from the City to the ground as it is too far to walk, but found a cab on the way so took that. As we arrived at the stadium, Jacque pointed out a couple of red kites flying over the stadium. I hoped that was a good omen. As we took our seats in the three-sided ground, we found that we had a lovely view of the car park and nothing to protect us from the sun which was shining brightly as kick-off approached.

Team news was that Cleverley had made two changes from the Swansea game with Ngakia and Sierralta coming in for Andrews and Pollock, whose absence was due to his partner going into labour. So, the starting line-up was Selvik; Larouci, Abankwah, Sierralta, Ngakia; Dele-Bashiru, Louza; Chakvetadze, Ince, Sissoko; Kayembe.

The Hornets started brightly, and the first real chance of the game came after a great run from Abankwah who found Ince just outside the box, his shot was deflected over the bar. The next chance came after Ince played a one-two with Dele-Bashiru, but his shot was deflected wide. The first chance for the home side came as Placheta won the ball in the midfield and hit a shot from distance that flew just wide of the target.

The Hornets then won a free kick after a foul on Sissoko. Chakvetadze went for goal, but his delivery just cleared the bar. At this point the travelling Hornets started chanting "Football in a car park". The Hornets had a great chance to take the lead after a lovely passing move down the pitch finished with a gorgeous ball from Ince for Sissoko to run onto as he broke into the box, but the keeper came out to meet him, blocked the shot and the ball rebounded off Moussa and out for a goal kick. Oxford then had a great chance of their own to open the scoring from a corner, but Nelson's header cleared the bar. Watford threatened again as Kayembe released Chakvetadze who broke into the box and shot just wide of the near post.  The next chance came after the Hornets had been playing the ball around the box and Larouci found Dele-Bashiru whose shot was straight at Cumming. At the other end, Brannagan hit a shot from distance that was an easy save for Selvik. There were two minutes of added time at the end of the half during which the Hornets had a couple of decent chances to take a lead into the break. First a Louza free kick was met with a powerful header by Sierralta that needed a good save from Cumming to keep it out. Then Ngakia found Ince who hit a low shot from distance that was an easy save for the Oxford keeper. So, the whistle went on a goalless first half that the Hornets had completely dominated without creating much in the way of chances.

The Hornets had the first chance of the second half as Chakvetadze played the ball out to Larouci whose shot cleared the bar. The home side then had a great chance to take the lead as Placheta got around the back of Abankwah and crossed for Dembélé who was closed down by the Watford defence, so his shot flew wide of the near post when he had looked sure to score. The first booking of the game went to Sierralta who went down under a challenge and grabbed the ball while on the ground earning a silly yellow card. At the other end, Oxford won a corner, the delivery was met by the head of Sierralta but the ball dropped to Vaulks whose shot was deflected for a corner. The next chance for the Hornets came from a free kick, but Louza's delivery cleared the bar. Then some lovely play from the Hornets set up a shot from Louza that flew just wide of the target. Another good passing move finished with a cross from Ngakia being put out for a corner. Louza's delivery was met by Sierralta, but this time his header flew well wide of the target. Then a forward break by Abankwah was stopped when he was fouled by Placheta who then stood on his leg. There was an understandable reaction from the Watford man, but the referee was oblivious to what had provoked the reaction so both players saw yellow.

Both sides made a change at this point with Kioso and Goodrham replacing Nelson and Romeny for the home side and Ince making way for Bayo for the Hornets. The next chance for the Hornets came as Chakvetadze tried a chip that was repelled by a defensive header. Then Oxford failed to clear a corner and Ngakia played the ball back into the box where Bayo moved it on for Kayembe whose volley cleared the bar. The Hornets had another chance to open the scoring as Chakvetadze cut inside and played the ball for Dele-Bashiru who shot wide of the target. Then Louza played a ball into the box for Bayo, but Cumming reached it first. At the other end Placheta played the ball back for Goodrham whose shot was easily gathered by Selvik. The next chance for the Hornets came as Sissoko played the ball back for Bayo whose shot flew well over the bar. The Hornets had to play the last ten minutes of the game with ten men after Abankwah pulled on Placheta's shirt as he tried to escape. The Oxford man ran over to the referee demanding a card and his wish was granted. I thought that referees were supposed to punish players who ask for cards, which would have meant Placheta also seeing red. I don't usually get worked up about incidents in games, but Placheta's behaviour incensed me, particularly as Abankwah's first yellow was a result of the same player standing on his leg after a foul. Almost immediately the home side took the lead as Harris was fouled on the edge of the box, the referee allowed play to continue and the ball fell to Dembélé who broke into the box, got into scoring position and fired past Selvik. This prompted Cleverley to make a triple substitution bringing Vata, Morris and Andrews on in place of Chakvetadze, Sissoko and Ngakia, but it was too late for them to have any influence on the game. The home side also made a couple of late changes as Dembélé and the evil Placheta made way for Matos and Phillips. There were seven minutes of added time at the end of the game, but the Hornets never looked like rescuing a point.

It was a cruel defeat in a game that the Hornets had dominated. Unfortunately, they played most of the game without a recognised striker on the pitch and, despite the introduction of Bayo, didn't muster a shot on target in the second half. Watford definitely had the better of the chances but the dismissal of Abankwah was the turning point and the home side scored with their first real shot on target. As disappointing as the defeat was, I was saddened to see some fans booing and flicking Vs at our players when they came over to applaud us. There is no need for that.

As we left the ground, we saw the traffic going back into the city and assumed that the bus would be heaving, so decided to find a pub. I was leading the charge when I saw Mandy, who asked if we were going to The George. I said that we were heading for another pub, and she kindly informed me that my choice had been packed before the game with only one person serving behind the bar, so I changed my plan, and we ended up following her and the Southern Counties Hornets back to the George. It wouldn't have been my first choice as it didn't serve real ale (apparently there is no demand), but it turned out to be a lovely local pub. Vicki, my friend from New England, was introduced to new English traditions such as a meat draw. We chatted to a number of locals, who were all lovely and the landlord was doing a sterling job of ordering taxis for the Watford fans and then making sure that they got them. He was quite a character, and we all hugged him before we left for home (after more beer than was sensible).

It was a really disappointing game of football, but the Oxford fan's prediction that this would be our worst away trip of the season was way wide of the mark. It was a cracking day out and Vicki will return to Boston with more wonderful tales of her adventures following the Hornets.