Report by Jack Shoemark

United continued their good start to the league campaign with a hard fought victory over Bury at the Kassam Stadium. Goals from Danny Rose and Johnny Mullins ensured that this season’s home campaign got off to the best possible start.

There was a sense of excitement around the Kassam Stadium after the stunning victory at Portsmouth and with a Bury side hastily put together over the closed season, a sense of expectation. The players took to the pitch to flames not too dissimilar to those at Wembley in 2010 whilst the newly formed Yellow Army unfurled another fantastic display in the East Stand. The scene was set for a memorable afternoon of football.

Oxford started the game in a lively fashion with the front four of Dave Kitson, Sean Rigg, Alfie Potter and Deane Smalley combining well and looking dangerous. It was Potter who had the first sight of goal in the fifth minute but his low shot was comfortably held by visiting keeper Rob Lainton. Rigg forced Lainton into a better save in the tenth minute as United played some neat passing football. Bury had rarely been in the game but did threaten Ryan Clarke’s goal after a loose ball from Andy Whing. The former Coventry man lost the ball just outside the United box and only a last ditch diving block from Danny Rose prevented Euan Holden from testing Clarke. Rigg stung Lainton’s palms from wide on the left after a breakaway as Chris Wilder’s men stepped up the pressure. The pressure eventually told just after the half an hour mark. Nathan Cameron (remember the name) clotheslined Deane Smalley on the edge of the Bury area and Danny Rose curled a beautiful left footed free kick up and over the wall into the top corner of Lainton’s net. It was no less than United deserved and the goal capped a fine performance from Rose.

The rest of the half saw the running battle between Kitson and the entire Bury team continue as the former Reading striker showcased why he has played at the top level of English football. Bury had forced a number of corners but created precious little in terms of chances. They did almost claim an equaliser as Craig Jones curled a fine cross into the path of the onrushing Richard Hinds who stretched to guide the ball past Clarke and into the back of the net. Unfortunately for The Shakers, Hinds had strayed offside and the linesman’s flag ruled out the effort. That was to be the last action in either box before the half-time whistle and as the players left the pitch for the interval, the home fans could feel confident that their side would go onto win the match.

Oxford appeared for the start of the second half but that is all. Bury had seemingly installed a barrier on the halfway line during the break as United sat back and let the visitors dominate in possession. Tom Soares sent a header straight at Clarke when he should have done better and John Rooney saw his low shot from distance well held. There was a goal coming and in the seventieth minute it did; Holden broke down the left hand side and bundled his way through a few yellow shirts, after a clever one-two with Soares, it was the latter who fired a powerful shot into Clarke’s top corner to equalise and perhaps more importantly awaken the United players from their mid-afternoon slumber.

Johnny Mullins is a fantastic capture by Chris Wilder and the centre-back showed his attacking prowess as he broke forward, his ball out to the left was crossed back into the centre for Kitson whose header was clawed away by Lainton in a David Seaman against Sheffield United-esque fashion. Alfie Potter who had drifted out of the game, suddenly found new energy and Oxford again looked dangerous on the counter-attack. From one of these, Smalley was bundled over once again by Cameron who finally earned a booking after something in the region of one million fouls during the game. David Hunt laid the free-kick back for Mullins to lash home and spark wild celebrations in the stands and on the pitch. It was all too much for Cameron who ran after the referee hurling abuse and received a second yellow card for his troubles.

Cameron’s red card killed the game for the away side and United were content to see out the final ten minutes by passing the ball about and pumping it long into the corners. It wasn’t a vintage performance from Wilder’s side but the table reads six points from six and no-one will complain about that.

Wilder had made four changes from the 4-0 defeat at Charlton, Kitson, Smalley, Rigg and Potter returned ahead of Asa Hall, Callum O’Dowda, Ryan Williams and James Constable. Constable, Hall and Scott Davies all came off the bench in the closing stages to see out time. The referee was James Linington from Newport who last took charge of United in October 2011 in a 3-0 home win against Bristol Rovers. In addition to dismissing Cameron, he showed yellow cards to Soares and Tom Newey whilst also managing to upset home and away fans with his inconsistent whilst blowing. The attendance was 5774 with just over 300 making the trip from Bury.

The result sees United lead the division due to their superior goals scored column. Bury sit alongside Hartlepool and Plymouth as teams yet to register a point. Northampton brought Newport back down to earth after their opening day exploits with a 3-1 victory whilst elsewhere there were wins for Wimbledon, Burton, Chesterfield, Dagenham, Southend and Fleetwood. Bristol Rovers held Scunthorpe, Mansfield drew with Exeter and Torquay took a point for the second game in a row away at Morecambe.

There’s a long way to go this season but the new signings have slotted into the team very well and there is definitely good reason to be hopeful for the remainder of the campaign. The Yellow Army invades Torquay next week as United look to make it three from three.