Cameron Brannagan equalises from the penalty spot (Photo: Steve Daniels)

It was a blustery old day at the Kassam Stadium on Good Friday, as the U’s battled to a point against play-off chasing Hull City.

The windy conditions certainly played their part in an error-strewn game that was nonetheless an entertaining encounter as United returned from the international break looking like they had a point to prove.

The crowd, as usual, was in fine voice and in the early knockings it was Oxford taking the game to the opposition. That was until they were dealt a huge blow after just three-and-a-half minutes. A long ball out wide dropped behind Ruben Roosken, making just his second start for the U’s, and was expertly controlled by Mohamed Belloumi, who took the ball inside before firing home past Jamie Cumming. It was great individual play by the Hull winger, even if Belloumi really cheesed me off.

It was the best of starts for Roosken, who was too far off Belloumi to prevent his goalbound run. It was an issue that he struggled with for the first 20 or so minutes as Hull sensed his vulnerability and seemed to target the United left back. However, Roosken grew into the game and got to grips with Belloumi, rendering him largely ineffective for the second quarter of the game, before the U’s player was substituted at half time for Brodie Spencer.

The Tigers had former United hero John Lundstram pulling the strings in midfield, while another ex-U Kyle Joseph spent most of the game anonymously chasing around to little effect. However, it was in midfield where the game would be won or lost, and for once it was Oxford that appeared superior in that department.

In the first half, Cameron Brannagan had total control, with the Hull players unable to get anywhere near him. He was partnered by an ever-improving Yunus Konak, the Brentford loanee snapping into tackles and making a real nuisance of himself. Then there was Jamie Donley, just returned from two energy-sapping games for Northern Ireland, who often joined Will Lankshear up top to keep the City centre backs honest. Donley visibly tired in the second half and should probably have been replaced a few minutes earlier than quarter of an hour from the end.

It was Donley’s defence-splitting through ball to Lankshear that led to United’s equaliser, as the Oxford striker was brought down by Charlie Hughes, giving referee Oli Langford no option but to award a penalty. Like buses, you wait ages for one and then two get given in successive home games. And as against Charlton, up stepped Brannagan to confidently drive the ball home to earn what may yet be a priceless point.

And it really should have been three as Oxford pushed back the visitors and carved open several decent opportunities. In the 20th minute, Stan Mills’ right-wing cross was met by Lankshear, who couldn’t keep his header down, and shortly before the break Myles Peart-Harris had a golden opportunity but he could only scuff his shot, allowing Dillon Phillips to make the save on his league debut.

Hull’s only other opportunity in the first half was created by Belloumi, who had earlier ballooned wide a shot from distance. This time he knocked the ball wide to the unmarked Joseph, whose first-time shot was well saved by Cumming low down to his right.

The second half belonged to the U’s, who will rightly be wondering how they were unable to turn their dominance into two more points. Shortly after the break, a clever header from Ciaron Brown back into the mix was headed over by Michał Helik, under pressure from Phillips. Then the goalkeeper, back from non-playing duty with Croatia, dived full length to keep out a goalbound Brannagan piledriver.

United continued to knock on the Hull door and coulda shoulda won the game at the death, as a superb cross across the face of goal from Mills was met by Mark Harris at full stretch, the Wales international turning the ball the wrong side of the post. There was still time for Will Vaulks to sting Phillips’ palms with another long-range effort, and at the end it was the Oxford players looking disconsolate, with Hull the happier with the point.

The two dropped points, following on from two dropped points against Charlton, on the face of it leave United no worse off than before, as with the exception of Blackburn – 1-0 winners at Birmingham – all Oxford’s relegation rivals also drew: Leicester were held to a 2-2 home draw by Preston having taken an early lead before finding themselves 2-1 down at half time; West Brom were 2-0 up at half time at home to Wrexham before the Welsh side struck back with two second-half goals; and Portsmouth required a late own goal from Pelle Mattsson to rescue a point at Norwich after Mattsson’s first-half goal had given the Canaries the lead. So, the situation might remain the same, but there’s one fewer game left for Oxford to get the points they need in order to survive.

There’s now a HUGE Easter Monday programme of games, with Oxford visiting Pompey, Leicester travelling to Championship whipping boys Sheffield Wednesday, and Blackburn hosting West Brom. Check out our Portsmouth preview on Sunday, when we’ll be looking at the game in greater depth.

UTFO

Games without a penalty: Zero (still)!