Yemi Odubade scored a hat-trick this afternoon, as an Oxford United XI won 5-0 at Abingdon Town, of the Hellenic League Premier Division. Oxford, resplendent in their very smart all-white away kit, featured a reasonably strong side, consisting of a mixture of first-team regulars and youth players. Chris Tardif, who didn’t feature in last night’s match against Portsmouth, played the full 90 minutes, while the central defensive trio was the same as at Banbury last week, with Tommy Franklin, Chris Willmott, and Andy Gunn. Mo Lamine played right wingback, with Ben Weedon (as now sponsored by Friends of Rage Online) on the opposite flank. In midfield, Josh Kennet was joined by Steve Basham, and some kids whose name appeared to be Kieran. The striking partnership was Billy Beechers and a very effective Yemi, whose triple strike, and full 90 minute match, can’t have failed to impress the watching Jim Smith and Nick Merry.

The match was only three minutes old when Yemi scored his first, bursting clear of the ponderous Abingdon defence to coolly finish past Gordan Hearman. There was no further scoring in the first half, although Yemi brought a good stop from Hearman, and at the other end Tardif made an excellent stop from a close-range Tom Larman strike.

Following a plethora of Town substitutions at half time, United began to dominate, with Weedon and Lamine especially catching the eye. Ten minutes into the half there was a five minute spell during which Oxford turned their superiority into goals. First, Beechers ran into the area and, from a narrow angle, drove the ball firmly past Town’s substitute goalie, Matty Hutton. Three minutes later Weedon picked up the ball on the left wing, jinxed his way past three tackles, and powered the ball home from 18 yards, in off the post. Two minutes after that, Lamine sped clear down the right and his powerful low cross was turned home by Yemi.

United then made a couple of changes, with Chris Weedon joining his twin in midfield, in place of the Kieran fellow. Then with about 20 minutes left Basham, who hadn’t really impressed in his withdrawn midfield role, was replaced by a tall blonde chap who played up front, looking uncannily like an extra from Logan’s Run. Abingdon did bring one flying save out of Tardif in the second half, but otherwise the United goal remained unthreatened, while Beechers and Lamine both went close at the other end. The scoring was completed with six minutes to go, when Yemi hammered home a Ben Weedon cross.

This was a good workout for United’s fringe players (plus Bash and Willmott), and Jim Smith will have gone away pleased with what he saw. Ben Weedon looks like he will be an accomplished back-up for Gavin Johnson, and the defence as a unit played well. Yemi came through the full match and upped his goal tally, while Beechers looked sharp. The main disappointment was the form of Kennet, who was largely anonymous, but hey, everyone’s allowed an off day.