Aidomo Emakhu fires in a shot (Photo: Steve Daniels)

The fact that this game ended all-square should surprise nobody. The fact that it ended without any goals should surprise nobody. And the fact that I have no incisive analysis or sparkling revelations should surprise nobody.

Having said that, this was the first league game of the season in which the U’s failed to find the back of the net. To counter that, the Bantams have conceded just five goals so far this campaign, although there were occasions when United threatened to increase that tally.

That they didn’t was as much down to poor finishing as it was defensive resilience, although there was plenty of that on display from both sides. Indeed, this encounter was a case of two solid defences up against two rather blunt attacks so, as mentioned, the outcome was not against the odds.

Given the conditions – driving rain and gusty wind – it’s a credit to both sides that a football match broke out. Of course, the weather didn’t help either side and it was quite evident that whichever side was attacking the open end had an advantage: Oxford in the first half, Bradford in the second.

For United striker Gatlin O’Donkor, this was a first league start since April 2023 and, while he should be happy with his overall performance, he will doubtless be disappointed that he was unable to convert a couple of decent opportunities into goals. This is not a criticism; Gats is young and still learning and will have plenty more goals if he continues to get into the right positions.

Gatlin heads over (Photo: Steve Daniels)

It says a lot about this side’s prowess that they were able to fashion decent chances against a team with such a stingy defensive record. Bradford kept players behind the ball while United probed and, when the Oxford pressure relented after 25 minutes, they were able to begin to bring the ball out of defence, using their wingbacks to good effect.

Then it was Oxford’s turn to stand firm, and while the Bantams were unable to create much in terms of goal threat, when they did, the U’s defence proved indefatigable, with Jamie Cumming called upon just two or three times.

There was some discussion ahead of the game whether or not a draw would be good result: would one take a draw ahead of the game? It’s possibly the most pointless question ever; one has no choice but to take what one is given.

What no one seemed to realise is that the draw was inevitable: the only possible outcome when an immovable object meets an irresistible force. One could no more opt to decline the point than to bend the course of a river merely by standing in it. Indeed, should God have buried that free header in the second half, it might well have led to disturbances in the time/space continuum or, more likely, Bradford would have had no cosmic option but to equalise.

As it was, there was nothing to disturb the equilibrium and the universe can go on its merry way safe in the knowledge that its will was done. We have no way of knowing the future, but we can be fairly certain that the consequence of this draw will be that everything will happen in the way that it should. Prove me wrong.

Photo: Steve Daniels

Where does this leave us? Two-thirds of the way through a run of three successive home games, we have taken four points: three from the team at the bottom and one from the team that was recently top. The third game of the sequence, on Tuesday, is against a team that was even more recently in first place and will be every bit as tough a challenge as Bradford. At least it’s forecast to be dry, if still quite blowy.

Meanwhile, Oxford United Women’s season continues to impress. Top of the league without dropping a point and conceding just one goal, on Sunday they visited previously unbeaten AFC Portchester in the Women’s FA Cup and came away 5-0 winners after a goalless first half.

United’s dominance was such that the home side had no shots on target and won just one corner. This was especially pleasing given that half the starting line-up were not first-team regulars and by the time the game was over there were even fewer first teamers on the pitch. The draw for the second round is on Monday evening.

While the men’s side have a Tuesday night game at home to Stockport County, the women have a Wednesday evening game at home to Real Bedford. And with football commentator Robyn Cowen in conversation at the UPP on Thursday night, this promises to be a great week of football.

UTFO