Paying tribute to Amelia (Photo: Steve Daniels)

Before I start, I’d just like to apologise for the lateness of this report, due to my laptop being so surprised at United winning three in a row that it passed out, so this is being written on my ancient back-up machine that is slower than Lee Jarman on valium (and about as effective).

The game itself was played out to the backdrop of a hugely emotional tribute to former girls’ academy goalkeeper Amelia Aplin, who died during a game against Fulham on Saturday at the age of just 15. Among the many tributes to Amelia left by the ox statue was one laid by Blackburn manager Michael O’Neill, so fair play to them and also their supporters, who joined in the pre-game minute’s silence: one of the most impeccably observed that I’ve ever witnessed.

Fair play also to referee David Webb, who stopped the game on 15 minutes for the stadium to applaud Amelia. Again, the Rovers players and fans joined in. Along with the pre-match stuff, anyone who was at the game would have had, at the very least, a lump in their throat, unless they’re utter sociopaths. I know that my eyes were moist by the time Webb blew his whistle to end the silence.

There are those who would say that Amelia’s death (indeed, anyone’s death) shows how unimportant football is. I would argue that it instead demonstrates that this national game, beloved by so many, lies at the heart of the community, binding together people from all over the country – who had never even heard about this young girl before – together in grief.

It is to United’s credit that they were able to use this emotion to spur them on to what was possibly their best home performance of the season; all that was lacking was the finishing touch that would have made the margin of victory what was deserved. One-nil really doesn’t do justice to the side’s dominance, especially in the first half.

Maybe not on the pitch, but in the stands there was a kind of nervous tension among the fans. The team had just won back-to-back games for the first time this season, having previously been unable to follow one good performance with another. Now they were being tasked with adding an improbable third victory in a row, not having won a Championship game in midweek since January 2025.

It didn’t take long for this nervousness to be disspelled, as United took the game to the visitors. Fielding an unchanged starting line-up for the third consecutive game really demonstrated the advantages of having a settled side; the players looke comfortable in their roles and with each other, partnerships are starting to form, and everyone knows the plan and their part in it.

In addition, United were playing some decent attacking football, pinging the ball around with aplomb and disproving those claiming that this is a League One side at best. Cameron Brannagan exemplifies this, with his drive and passion, as well as his ability, and it was his long diagonal for Stan Mills on the right that set up Oxford’s first golden opportunity, as Mills’ cross for Will Lankshear was just touched away from the striker by a covering defender at the last moment.

It was a similar Brannagan to Mills crossfield ball that set up the second chance, this time the winger opted to strike left footed straight at Balazs Toth in the Blackburn goal when he probably had better options inside him.

A third chance came when the U’s switched the point of attack to the left wing, from where Jack Currie’s cross was palmed away by Toth but only as far as Jamie Donley in the corner of the six-yard box. Under pressure, Donley could find only the side netting as the side squandered yet another presentable opportunity.

However, from another right-wing attack the Yellows eventually took the lead. At first it looked like Mills had lost the ball as he tried to squeeze between two defenders, but he was quick to the loose ball and crossed first time with his left foot. Myles Peart-Harris got away a diving header that Toth did well to keep out, but the rebound fell kindly for Donley who this time made no mistake to score his first goal for the club and give the side a priceless lead ten minutes before the break.

Jamie Donley celebrates giving United the lead (Photo: Steve Daniels)

The visitors, as we knew they would, came out after half-time looking to restore parity, but for all their possession and huffing and puffing, they failed to make any inroads and, thanks to a combined team effort, United turned things around again.

Big shout out to Yunus Konak, who has really come to the fore in his last few appearances. It was his tackle on Moussa Baradji a few yards outside the Blackburn area that set up Peart-Harris with a real chance. With Lankshear free to his left, MPH instead took on the shot. No problem with that, except if you’re going to shoot from the edge of the area with just the goalie in front of you, you should really be doing a lot better than scuffing the ball into his arms.

With just a few minutes remaining, the visitors had their best – indeed, their only – chance of an equaliser. Jamie Cumming came out for what should have been a routine catch. However, he collided with a Rovers player and let the ball fall from his grasp. In the melee that followed, Sam Long headed an effort off the line before Brannagan saw the ball out for a goalkick. It would have been typical of United’s luck had this one moment undone all the good stuff that had gone before, but it looks like the U’s have turned a corner, and even Lady Luck is giving us a smile.

Thanks to Southampton’s late, late equaliser at the Hawthorns, Oxford have climbed above West Brom but remain in the relegation zone, level on points with Leicester who have a better goal difference. There are nine games remaining and United’s three wins on the trot have given them every chance of being a Championship side next season.

Next up: Charlton Athletic on Saturday. We’ll have a preview right here.

UTFO

PS: That’s now 91 games without a penalty! There was a half-shout on Wednesday when Peart-Harris went down on the edge of the area, but Mr Webb was unimpressed (as was I, to be fair).