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Chester City v Oxford United,Saturday 9th December 2000
FA Cup Second Round
CHESTER CITY 3 V 2 OXFORD UNITED att:2,798
P.Beesley(35),Whitehall(54),(60) Gray(23),Murphy(25)
Magnificent City come back from two nil down to record a memorable victory against an Oxford side which looks doomed for relegation
`Every Dog Will Have Its Day' was a quote I remember reading recently and my word today was our day.After the pain of what was last season,at last its was all smiles for City fans as the blues put on one of the best comebacks I`ve ever seen a blues team do in ten years of watching them.Every single City player on that pitch today should be proud of their performance as the blues `never say die' attitude saw them come back after the tie looked all over after 25 minutes when Oxford found themselves two up totally against the run of play.
The blues started well playing some neat football on the ground but without really creating any notable chances.Chris Blackburn had a pop from around 25 yards which dipped just over the bar and Steve Whitehall had a shot on the turn which was easily saved by Oxford keeper Knight but the blues couldn`t carve out any clear cut chances.It wasn`t untill the fourteenth minute,however that Oxford even got near the City goal but when they did it could have quite easily been 1-0.Oxford midfielder Chris Hackett crossed a sweeping ball in from the left hand side which was met by the outstretched leg of Phil Gray who`s shot smashed against the City crossbar and out for a goal-kick.They where in the lead however 8 minutes later when the same two players linked up again to make it 1-0.It only took two minutes for the scoreline to become 2-0.A Joey Beauchamp corner caused havoc in the Chester area and Matt Murphy nodded it into the open goal at the far post.Many Blues now considered City to be dead and buried as Oxford seemed to start to gain confidence after taking the lead.But City started what will be remembered as a famous comeback as they began to attack the Oxford goal and on 34 minutes got their just rewards for their efforts.Neil Fisher swung a free kick into the Oxford area and Paul Beesley,sinner in the First Round game against Plymouth glanced a header past Knight in the Oxford goal.City now had regained optimism of pulling off a cup shock as their confidence was restored.Chris Blackburn tryed another pile driver from just outside the area which again narrowly went over but City couldn`t get an equaliser before half time and went in at the break 2-1 down.
In the second half the blues came out even better than they had finished the first half.An early effort from Mark Beesley just went above the upright as the blues pushed forward in search of the equaliser.Darren Wright was brought on upfront as Graham Barrow pushed three up.It wasn`t long before City where deservidely level.10 minutes into the second half and Steve Whitehall equalised.A cross was dropped by Oxford`s extremly dodgy keeper Knight and after his attempted tackle Andy Porter hit a shot which was destined for the goal but was cleared off the line by Oxford defender Lee Jarman,the ball fell to Whitehall who again tryed a shot at the keeperless goal but Jarman again managed to clear it but yet again it fell to Whitehall who this time made no mistake and poked it through a crowd of advancing Oxford defenders and into the corner of the net.The City fans where in Delerium but even greater scenes where to follow.Five minutes later Steve Whitehall who is now really starting to bang the goals in managed to get to a ball swung in from the left and lobbed the advancing keeper who couldn`t make it back onto the line to tip it over and the blues fans where in ecstacy.No one must have fancied the blues chances at 2-0,perhaps a replay at the best but to come back to be leading 3-2 against a Divison 2 side was a magnificent achievement.The blues could have rapped it up just a few minutes later when Mark Beesley flashed a ball across the the goal but neither Steve Whitehall or Darren Wright could quite reach it to surely finish the game off.Scott Ruscoe was brought on for Beesley soon after and always looked a threat to the Oxford defence with his pace.The last ten minutes where similar to the last ten at Plymouth as fingernails where being bitten all around the ground as Oxford through men forward.Step up a certain Carl Ruffer.Has to in my opinion be one of the bargains of the season.Plucked from the obscurity of Runcorn he produced tackle after tackle which kept the blues lead in tact.The most notable of them all being late on when Oxford Sub Omoyinmi found himself clear after the blues defenders where sure the ball had gone out for a throw.Ruffer sprinted back and made a last ditch tackle just as it looked like Omoyinmi would put it past the advancing Brown.The blues battled through 4 minutes of added time which seemed to come from nowhere and at the final whistle where victors 3-2.It sparked magnificent celebrations and smiles not seen at the Deva for a long time.All I can say is bring on the big boys because the blues are on a role!
Man Of The Match:Every player was magnificent today but as I say Carl Ruffer was outstanding and was everywhere he was needed.
Chester:Brown,Fisher,Doughty,Lancaster,Ruffer,P.Beesley,Carden,Blackburn,M.Beesley,Whitehall,Porter Subs:Ruscoe,Moss,Gaunt,Wright,Woods
Oxford:Knight,Beauchamp,Linighan,Brown,Gray,Richardson,Fear,Jarman,Anthrobus,Murphy,Hackett Subs:Glass,Omoyinimi,Whitehead,R.Weatherstone,S.Weatherstone
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