When it comes to supporting Oxford United there’s many a time I’ve asked why. I suppose it is the same for the many a supporter supporting many a team. But why, particularly given we were all but safe and AFC Wimbledon had nothing really meaningful to play for, did I and nearly 800 other followers of the Yellows turn up at the Cherry Red Records Stadium on Saturday?

I suppose put simply it is because we support our team. And added to that, unlike for home fixtures, an away day offers an opportunity for a proper day out.

Euston Tap – Should these pints have been cloudy?

For the first time in years we travelled to this fixture by train, tempted by Chiltern Railways group saver. This is a different world to our normal on the road experiencesand presents the chance to have a few more beers than usual.

Advantage was taken but I must confess to overall being a little disappointed with pubs and beer. For anyone remotely interested, the Willoughby Arms in Kingston on Thames, and the Royal George and Euston Tap in, surprisingly, Euston. I suspect there was a bit of a rip off going on with the prices charged for the round from time to time and there was one blatant case of short changing in the George. But the Doric Arch, hidden away in the Euston Station Colonnade, redeemed faith in human kind and beer quality (and pricing).

Part of the craic of an away day is chatting to fellow fans and exchanging views and stories. In the Doric, just back from a 2-0 victory at Millwall, a fresh faced 19 year old Watford fan full of hope and expectation for times ahead, provided marked contrast to us. All much older, much more knackered and supporting a football club that is not providing us with bright optimism for the paths ahead despite the noises that keep emitting from the Kassam Stadium. That is what I detected the consensus to be amongst our little group and I feel more of our fan base are of this mind than not. There are of course still those of a more cheery disposition who think it will all be hunky dory next season when Michael Appleton has had a whole pre-season in charge. Fair play to them. I wish I could be as upbeat but my interpretation of the evidence to date dictates otherwise.

In the Euston Tap it was a couple of Stoke fans we engaged in conversation with, a father and son combo, waiting for the 19:20 back home, happy with their 95th minute equaliser at Upton Park. That goal took them to 10th in the Premiership. They were happy to talk about football and beer to fans of a team lying 16th in League Two. I think they got it. They also confirmed that I am not the only one who thinks Stoke fans sound like Scousers.

Maybe, but there was no real excitement

I suppose I’d better mention the match. For the second game in a row we had no goals and no excitement. Whatever anyone might say a player cannot be as psychologically pumped up for a game where there is little at stake as for one where promotion and avoiding relegation are the prizes. Of course with the pressure off, players should be more relaxed and thus able to play more attractive football, shouldn’t they?

Having again kept a clean sheet the defence should be praised. Other than lacking a few inches, this section of our team is about there. My man of the match was Joe Skarz. He looks to be a proper defender, particularly close up.
On this occasion there is a caveat to this because we were lucky not to lose. We were in line with the offside decision and it looked to be a well worked move with the goal wrongly chalked off. There was another incident too that looked to be onside but the linesman chose to flag when a Wimbledon forward was through one v one with Jamie Ashdown.

The terracing is so shallow as to make it nearly impossible to get a decent view of what is going on but does give the opportunity to see things almost exactly from the same perspective as the linesman so these were strange but welcome decisions.

It’s the midfield and attacking units that are still major problems for us and I can’t see that we are getting anywhere near solving this conundrum. Just 43 goals from 42 games tell all you need to know. We create very little. Wimbledon, a solid hardworking outfit, created more.

Patrick Hoban, much as we love his work ethic and hold up play, does not look like he’ll ever be a man who’ll bang in many goals at this level. Anyone who has read many Fan’s View will know that I am a big Danny Hylton fan but I’m now coming round to thinking that his goals from open play earlier in the season were more the exception than the rule. A major rethink, restructure and possible change in approach is probably needed. Stating the obvious the more chances created, the likelier any so called striker is to score.

What of the changes MApp made, and didn’t make, to the starting line up?

Ashdown had a solid game between the sticks and there would be no worries if he had to play for us for an extended period. But why play him if he isn’t going to be here next season? Or perhaps he is. Could we have brought Max Crocombe back from Nuneaton to have got some experience one level up?

Andy Whing starting was a surprise as most fans have written him off as not going to be here next season. He didn’t let us down and if he has his eye on any recent regular starters’ position it is probably that of Josh Ruffels. Neither Ruffels nor Michael Collins were starters and I was hoping Danny Rose would really step up to the creative plate. He didn’t. No one did. The only good things I recall Alex MacDonald doing were defensive things.

MApp has said that James Roberts will have his day. Why wait? Poor lad wasn’t even on the bench. Nor was Josh Ashby another talented youngster who could possibly excite. I don’t think playing the youth team for the remaining games is the way forward but maybe we’re being a bit too conservative at a time when there’s very little to lose.
Irrespective of what I’ve said above, meaning, of sorts, can be talked into any fixture and on Tuesday Chris Wilder brings his Cobblers to the Kassam. If we can register our 7th home win we’ll only be three points behind them.