An Oxford United side consisting largely of youth-team players and triallists beat Hellenic Premier League side North Leigh 3-1 at the incredibly muddy Eynsham Park tonight. The home side started strongly, and after just four minutes Sam Warrell brought down former United favourite Chris Allen, who had burst clean through on goal. Mark Dennis scored the resulting penalty to take the lead. However, United hit back, and only some excellent goalkeeping kept the Us out.

United equalised when Matt Taylor was on hand to head home a superb left-wing cross from Ben Weedon, and Taylor was on hand again to lash the ball home after Alex Jeannin back heeled it into his path on the left of the penalty area. Three minutes before half time United completed the scoring when triallist Gareth somebody set up Jeannin, who smashed the ball into the net from just outside the penalty area.

Warrell was a virtual spectator throughout the second half, while the North Leigh keeper was called into action on a couple of occasions. However, the home defence held firm in the face of a lot of Oxford pressure, and will have been happy to have completed the game without conceding further.

United started with two triallists in the side, Gareth up front impressed the watching Mickey Lewis, who unfortunately didn't know his surname despite being in charge of the team! At the back was the dreadlocked chap who we think was called Ben, although he sadly looked as much like a footballer as David Woozley, even though United are in desperate need of more dreadlocked players. Also in the starting line up were first-team squad members Jeannin, Warrell, Weedon, Michael Corcoran, Taylor, and Declan Benjamin, while it was the diminutive Sam Deering who caught the eye with some sparkling right-wing runs. Joel Ledgister replaced Jeannin at half time, but for all his right-wing trickery he was unable to provide any effective crosses.

Late edit It appears that the dreadlocked defender chappy was former Dundee and Gillingham centre back Brent Sancho, a former Trinidad & Tobago international who is on Millwall's books. Unfortunately he looked overweight and unfit. The more promising striker is apparently Gareth Williams, currently at Bromley, but formerly with Crystal Palace and Colchester.