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Plymouth Argyle 0 Oxford United 1 (Constable 16) (From Oxford Mail)
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Plymouth Argyle 0 Oxford United 1 (Constable 16)
5:25pm Saturday 16th February 2013 in Oxford Utd
By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458
JAMES Constable's 11th goal of the season saw Oxford United see off a poor Plymouth Argyle side to claim their first win in six games.
The striker tapped in Damian Batt's 16th-minute cross to put the visitors in front.
They were unquestionably the better side and had chances to win the game more comfortably, but one goal was enough to get past a limited home side, who suffered their first defeat under John Sheridan's stewardship.
Top scorer Tom Craddock returned after missing three games with a groin injury, replacing Deane Smalley in one of two changes to the XI.
Josh Parker was handed his first start for United, coming in for Alfie Potter, who missed out through illness.
Tony Capaldi was also ruled out with a bug, so the visitors could only name six substitutes.
The game took time to get going, but United went in front with the first effort of the afternoon, on 16 minutes.
A neat move saw the ball spread from left to right, with Parker doing well to free Batt. The full back's low cross was perfect for Constable, who had the easy task of tapping in past Jake Cole.
Without creating many chances, United were well in control against a Plymouth side who lacked quality on the ball.
Rigg fired a free-kick straight at Cole, but they had a glorious chance to double the lead on 34 minutes.
Lewis Montrose's ball over the top caught out a flat-footed Argyle back four and United had three forwards versus one defender.
Constable took the ball into the box before electing to square towards Parker and Craddock, but Onismor Bhasera showed fantastic athleticism to get back and divert the ball out for a corner.
It took Plymouth 37 minutes to muster any sort of effort on goal, when Gozie Ugwu flicked a Jason Banton free-kick wide.
Banton, who scored twice against Aldershot last week, tested Luke McCormick four minutes before the break, when the ex-Pilgrims stopper got down low to make the stop.
In stoppage time Constable had another sight of goal following a Montrose through ball, but the striker dragged his left-footed shot wide.
United's only complaint at the break was they were not further in front.
They should have added to the tally eight minutes after the restart, when Durell Berry's back pass went straight to Craddock.
The striker's first touch was heavy and he opted to take the ball around Cole, who pounced on the ball.
A minute later Batt and Craddock combined to play in Constable, whose shot from an acute angle hit the outside of the post.
Plymouth belatedly came to life, exerting some pressure on United's defence for the first time.
The visitors retreated but defended stoutly, with McCormick relatively untested.
Despite enjoying a 20-minute spell, the sum total of Argyle's chances was a shot which Wright headed off the line.
Their best chance came from a scuffed clearance from McCormick, who was well out of his goal. It went straight to Reuben Reid 40 yards out, but instead of trying his luck the striker chose to pass and United scrambled to clear.
The visitors' attacking threat fizzled out almost completely, but with five minutes remaining they were briefly awarded a second goal in bizarre circumstances.
A cross was deflected high into the air by Guy Branston and landed on the roof of the net before Cole tipped it back on to the pitch. It fell to Constable, whose shot trickled in via a defender and to Plymouth's amazement the officials gave a goal.
But after a long discussion between referee Chris Sarginson and his assistant they finally came to their senses and gave a corner.
The break seemed to disrupt Plymouth, who never regained their momentum and United held on for an important and thoroughly deserved win.
Oxford Utd: McCormick, Batt, Raynes, Wright, Davis, Parker, Chapman (Whing 89), Montrose, Rigg (Smalley 62), Constable, Craddock (O'Brien 69).
Unused subs: Crocombe, Heslop, Worley.
Plymouth: Cole, Berry, Branston, Charles, Bhasera, Cowan-Hall, Cox, Hourihane, Banton, Reid, Ugwu (Murray 70).
Unused subs: Chenoweth, Blanchard, Young, Wotton, Richards, Gurrieri.
Referee: Chris Sarginson.
Attendance: 7,189 (311 visitors).
Comments are closed on this article.

Comments (51)
5:55pm Sat 16 Feb 13
Richard Wickson says...
6:36pm Sat 16 Feb 13
oldun says...
6:56pm Sat 16 Feb 13
35 year fan says...
7:13pm Sat 16 Feb 13
Manor Born says...
Oh and Oxford Mail, is there any truth in the rumour that London Welsh trained on the pitch last week prior to our game against Fleetwood? Would certainly explain why the pitch looked even worse than ever.
7:52pm Sat 16 Feb 13
BenkiuGuasu says...
10:00pm Sat 16 Feb 13
BigAlBiker says...
Wilder has lost his marbles, for the sake of the club he has to go.
10:02pm Sat 16 Feb 13
foxvox says...
11:47pm Sat 16 Feb 13
darkskies says...
7:13am Sun 17 Feb 13
oldun says...
7:13am Sun 17 Feb 13
oldun says...
9:00am Sun 17 Feb 13
winger whitley says...
A good win, even Radio Oxford wondered if playing on a decent surface helped us. My mole on the ground said that there was a full scale rugby session the Friday before last week's game. Pity the chairman's priority is so obviously biased towards rugby.
9:11am Sun 17 Feb 13
A Scroat says...
9:34am Sun 17 Feb 13
oldun says...
10:12am Sun 17 Feb 13
Magiltonmagic. says...
10:46am Sun 17 Feb 13
Magiltonmagic. says...
10:58am Sun 17 Feb 13
Joe1 says...
11:01am Sun 17 Feb 13
oldun says...
11:58am Sun 17 Feb 13
Manor Born says...
Only one person can agree or refuse that rugby club permission to practice on the pitch and that is Kassam. Yes our chairman is a rugby man, but he is owner of Wigan Warriors who play rugby league in Wigan. He has nothing to do with London Welsh rugby union club.
We only had 6 on the bench yesterday. What has happened to the accelerator squad? Why not put a youth team player on the bench? Even if he doesn't play, it would be a good experience for him.
12:14pm Sun 17 Feb 13
RADIOFAN says...
12:27pm Sun 17 Feb 13
BigAlBiker says...
Wilder and his back room staff have to go. Simples.
12:31pm Sun 17 Feb 13
oldun says...
12:56pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Magiltonmagic. says...
2:06pm Sun 17 Feb 13
YellowRose says...
2:25pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Richard Wickson says...
3:55pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Brenda Jackson says...
Doesn't mask the fact wilders team are very poor and won't come up against a team that are even worse than them(As Plymouth were) too often for the remaining matches.
I'll be astounded if wilder is still the manager of oufc next season, i have the feeling he knows his days at the Club are numbered though.
We need someone who can motivate and bring out the best in players, and not worried if it aint too pretty- it's a results business and if the new man gets them, great.
6:12pm Sun 17 Feb 13
BenkiuGuasu says...
Tyrone Marsh is better off out on loan.
6:16pm Sun 17 Feb 13
oldun says...
9:34am Mon 18 Feb 13
Southstandupper says...
11:06am Mon 18 Feb 13
oldun says...
12:51pm Mon 18 Feb 13
OUFC1983 says...
1:41pm Mon 18 Feb 13
bigchet says...
4:30pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Manor Born says...
I am perfectly happy with the investment Mr. Lenagan has put into the club and believe him to be an honourable man. I just hope he doesn't delay the inevitable for too much longer as it is detrimental to the future of the club.
Who is looking at player recruitment for next season? We should be looking at what is available now and not when it is too late. Chris Wilder should be nowhere near being involved with this. His track record at this level is proven to be one of failure.
7:48pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Brenda Jackson says...
8:14pm Mon 18 Feb 13
adlibber says...
Still the real bright spark today is DI CANIO - He's gone left Swindon today Mon 18th! After those from Wiltshire mocked our prediction that he would leave. It's a toughie chaps but not a surprise.
8:27pm Mon 18 Feb 13
oldun says...
/sport/0/football/21
499926
8:37pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Brenda Jackson says...
Not only did U's fans predict his departure- they often 'advised' him to do so!!! :O)
10:31pm Mon 18 Feb 13
35 year fan says...
6:34am Tue 19 Feb 13
Chish and Fips says...
Yes we are still at the top of L1, but by god we having a fight against the odds and you are where in L2 ....and you are happy as Larry with your manager... get your own house in order then you can gloat.
Also to put your words in perspective rather than over hyped tabloid gutter talk, there is a lot of for and against posts in the adver and the odd idiot or two from other teams please don't make it three...well its up to you but posts of your standard will be vilified.
6:39am Tue 19 Feb 13
oldun says...
Now, STFC will not be in a higher division than the unmighty Yellows in the 2014-15 season , will they?
6:42am Tue 19 Feb 13
Chish and Fips says...
Of course he was going to leave its more the timing - we all thought it was going to be the end of the season.
He is a gamble, and is his own man - but hey it was good whilst it lasted.... and good luck to him - lets see where he pops up next and rattles a few cages.
Never a dull moment with us - shame you lot seem to be stuck in all that mud on your pitch from the egg chasers :o)
6:50am Tue 19 Feb 13
Chish and Fips says...
All depends on our new owners and new manager I suppose - how the hell you can know the outcome of that is beyond me - so trying to say we are 'doomed all doomed I say' sounds a bit like Fergie and his mind games.
Nah - try again
Happy Days Oldun good luck mate...
6:54am Tue 19 Feb 13
oldun says...
6:57am Tue 19 Feb 13
adlibber says...
irony is Chish quite a few of us wish Wilder would resign
8:10am Tue 19 Feb 13
Brenda Jackson says...
'Madcap' highly strung fascist with a fuse shorter than a queue for mincemeat at Tescos + a backwater town, joke of a football club chucking money around like there's no tomorrow..
Always going to end in tears, so a pretty safe 'prediction.'
Was going to wish your lot 'good luck' with the next 'gamble' -honesty prevented me.
8:26am Tue 19 Feb 13
35 year fan says...
now you are insolvent, manager goes, better players go, administration inevitable. its called payback time. enjoy!
1:21pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Manor Born says...
The outgoing owners don't want anything to do with you any longer and the incoming ones seem to not have a pot to **** in - hence the Ritchie sale. You are over £13 million in debt thanks to your previous owner not having the strength to stand up to your lunatic ex-manager's constant demands for new players because the previous lot he had signed were not good enough after all.
The new owners can't make any decisions regarding the manager, the old owner doesn't want to. You are up the proverbial creek without a paddle.
However, we're not in a position to crow ourselves. It seems that OUFC have all but given up on the play-offs. Where is the new creative midfielder we were told at the open meeting would be coming in on Friday 15 February? Maybe Richards' injury has meant a shift in priority? Would be nice to know what is going on. Although I wouldn't trust Wilder to bring in anyone who would be capable of doing anything better than a "Simon Heslop". Maybe the new player injured his toe whilst driving down to Oxford.
Still it is rather glorious watching you lot implode.
2:54pm Tue 19 Feb 13
bigchet says...
5:21pm Tue 19 Feb 13
oldun says...
9:26pm Tue 19 Feb 13
oldun says...
9:26pm Tue 19 Feb 13
oldun says...
10:02pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Chish and Fips says...
So yes, to answer Manor Born of course we are worried - mainly about the unknown, we know we have a fantastic team.
I still think promotion will cause us more grief - so I'd say stay put ,consolidate and sort the finances out.
Still, we'll make the most of being perched in top slot for now - helps blank out temporarily, the other issues - tomorrows another day in the roller coaster ride ....
Oldun you've changed tack from ' it will ' end in tears to 'it could' :o)