OXFORD UNITED 0 PORTSMOUTH 1

Well that was a disappointing way to start the season, although I don’t go along with all the doom and gloom that has been spouted by a few fans. But for a couple of (very) dodgy penalty decisions not going Oxford’s way, this could easily have ended in a draw or even a home win.

And when you consider that the only time Portsmouth breached our lines was due to a poor back pass from the usually reliable Cameron Brannagan, followed by a lucky rebound from a superb Jamie Cumming save, you have to say that Pompey were rather fortunate to come away with the three points.

Before the game there were a couple of surprises. No Brian De Keersmaecker in the Oxford line up, while both Mark Harris and newest signing Will Lankshear started. For Portsmouth, John Mousinho was caught with his pants on fire as Colby Bishop wasn’t injured after all, but Josh Murphy was absent.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the build up was that United are still coming out to that Foals track. You’d have thought: new season, new beginning, but no. And as far as I can remember Perkele didn’t feature at all, although I may have missed it in the chaos of the East Stand concourse (by the way, they have a cracking new single just out – well worth checking out their Facebook page and giving it a listen).

I think it’s fair to say that the game started slowly, with neither side looking particularly threatening and it was a bit frustrating after Oxford went a goal down that they continued to sit deep well into the second half. The goal itself was well taken by Adrian Segecic but it was United that were the architects of their own downfall, as already described.

Then came the first penalty appeal, shortly before the break. It was at the far end of the ground from where I was sitting, but the appeals from the players were vociferous and looking back at the replay it was difficult to determine why referee Dean Whitestone was so adamant when he waved it away as it looked like Stan Mills’ legs were clipped. Cast iron, someone said to me later. The U’s haven’t had a penalty since May 2024 in the play-off second leg at Peterborough. Let’s hope this isn’t a sign that this trend is going to continue this season.

There was another penalty appeal towards the end of the second half. This one I did see and Brannagan definitely was tripped as he chased a loose ball. Stonewall, someone said to me later. And I think they were right, although I can only assume that Whitestone failed to see it, and it was on the far side for the assistant to call. The U’s didn’t get a penalty and it was frustrating that Nicolas Schmid’s only meaningful action was to tip over a long-range Mills effort and that United lacked a cutting edge to truly trouble the Pompey keeper.

Oxford did at least get the ball into the net on one occasion as Lankshear headed home but he was denied a debut goal as it was from an offside position. Hopefully a sign of things to come from the Tottenham youngster (the heading home, not the offside).

Will Lankshear heads home but was offside (image thanks to Steve Daniels)

It’s the first game of the season and there are 45 remaining and still three weeks before the transfer window closes, so no need for panic or bedwetting just yet. I can’t help but feel that the injured players – De Keersmaecker, Ciaron Brown, Luke Harris, Shemmy Placheta (pronounced Pwakhetta due to the slash through the l that this keyboard lacks) – should all make a positive difference when they’re fit, plus Ole Romeny of course, who is out longer term.

So in summary: bollocks, but not terminal bollocks.