Oxford United (H) League One, 8 Apr 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

It's fair to say that Oxford United have had something of a disappointing week - last Sunday they managed to lose to Coventry City (no mean achievement in itself) in the EFL Trophy final at Wembley, following which manager Michael Appleton urged his players to mount a Play-off raid, but they lost at home to Fleetwood Town last night leaving them 7 points adrift of the play-offs with only 5 games left to play. Appleton and Oxford United have both had, in their own way, chequered careers - Oxford having only come about because of a name change from Headington United 50 years ago, and experiencing since then the highs of all four levels of the English game as well as the non-league variety - add to that the financial shenanigans involving the execrable Robert Maxwell, and the 10p in the £ pay-out manoeuvre in order to survive. Appleton's football playing career was ended prematurely because of a serious knee injury ... well, that's not totally accurate - his inability to resume a playing career was largely down to a surgeon's incompetence, which ultimately led to a High Court action and a £1.5 million payout to Mr. Appleton. Looking at Oxford United's history, some might say that mid-table mediocrity is preferable.......

And mid-table is where we are currently at (both teams, realistically) and so it's probably the right time to start preparing for next season. Jon Whitney signalled his intentions in that direction last weekend when he handed Mitchell Candlin some game time from a bench start against Bradford City, and we can probably anticipate further moves in that direction in our remaining League One schedule this season. Suggestions on a postcard, please......

Meanwhile to Saturday's fixture: Oxford United's current League One form is erratic, to say the least:

14 Mar Oldham Athletic (A) Lost 2-1
18 Mar Scunthorpe United (H) Won 2-1
21 Mar Bolton Wanderers (H) Lost 2-4
25 Mar Northampton Town (A) Drew 0-0
28 Mar Bury (H) Won 5-1
5 Apr Fleetwood Town (H) Lost 1-3

So many different ingredients can contribute to the team performances at this time of the season ... some players will already be mentally on the beach, while others whose contracts will shortly be up for renewal will be playing for their future at Walsall (or elsewhere according to their agents' claims). Are we going to get another season out of the ever-reliable Adam Chambers? Will Craig MacGillivray ever have the chance to recover from having permanent splinters in his derriere from the substitutes' bench? Will Andreas Makris ever find out what it's like to score for Walsall? The answers to these and many other questions will probably not be answered this week!

Prediction? Tricky, as always - if we had a goalkeeper without the "Dracula" mentality coupled with the build of Stuckmann I would be inclined to go for a 2-1 home win, but as things are I would settle for an entertaining 2-2 scoreline, with Makris finally breaking his duck. Tony Richards with our other goal, but Bill Guttridge to be sent off for what he claimed was a perfectly fair challenge (and which probably would have been, back in the day).

As a footnote ... if Coventry City lose at home to Peterborough United on Saturday it will be mathematically impossible for them to stay up. :mrgreen:

[Guest]

I have a choice this weekend. The drinkfest known as the Hong Kong Sevens or watching Makris score at the Banks's. No contest. I'll be flying into BHX on Saturday morning.

2-0 to Walsall. Makris will score.

(I witnessed Claude Gnapka scoring for Walsall, so anything's possible...)

[saddla]

This one has to be a Walsall victory if only for the fact that my grandson is the mascot on Saturday! :D

[coop63]

A must win for the end of season optimism to kick in!

I'm going for a 3-2 with Makris on the scoresheet

5114 with 855 visitors

[moaning saddler]

3-0

Makris
Markis
Mark Rees
but not necessarily in that order.

[Red Adair]

I am currently in Cambodia and have Just returned from a tour of the famous Angkor Wat - amazing!

I hope to be at the match on Saturday and expect to see the Saddlers win this one after some disappointing results.

Up the Saddlers

[Whitters]

I have a choice this weekend. The drinkfest known as the Hong Kong Sevens or watching Makris score at the Banks's. No contest. I'll be flying into BHX on Saturday morning.

2-0 to Walsall. Makris will score.

(I witnessed Claude Gnapka scoring for Walsall, so anything's possible...)

Enjoy your stay and don't forget the weather is not quite up to HK temperatures....

[Guest]

I have a choice this weekend. The drinkfest known as the Hong Kong Sevens or watching Makris score at the Banks's. No contest. I'll be flying into BHX on Saturday morning.

2-0 to Walsall. Makris will score.

(I witnessed Claude Gnapka scoring for Walsall, so anything's possible...)

Enjoy your stay and don't forget the weather is not quite up to HK temperatures....

Yes, I was swimming in the outdoor pool this morning.

Currently in the fierce air conditioning of HK airport - should get me warmed up, or maybe cooled down...

[leics_saddler]

I'm going for an entertaining 2-2.
Ron Atkinson and Rhoades-Brown for them, Dave Bamber and Makris for us.
You can't say it won't happen!

[Walsallone]

We have a dreadful record against Oxford Utd....I have seen a number of heavy defeats so I would be reasonably happy with a high scoring draw.UTS

[chriss5471]

I'm going for 2-1 with Makris scoring the opener and Oztumer scoring a 94th minute lob from the physio table.

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

We have a dreadful record against Oxford Utd....I have seen a number of heavy defeats so I would be reasonably happy with a high scoring draw.UTS

I saw a 7-1 away defeat when I was a kid,I think Atkinson got a hatrick.

[reedswood sadler]

We have a dreadful record against Oxford Utd....I have seen a number of heavy defeats so I would be reasonably happy with a high scoring draw.UTS

I saw a 7-1 away defeat when I was a kid,I think Atkinson got a hatrick.

I was there if I remember right it was a boxing day match at a time when we never seemed to win away games.

[Walsallone]

I remember the 7-1 as well ....we got there late and were 2-0 down. as we arrived George Kirby scored to make it 2-1 but after that nothing went for us....I seem to remember we hit the post 4 times!!! a few years later we lost 4-1 when we were top of the league but Oxford got promoted!! Not a team I look forward to playing after those results!!!!!

[Pedagogue]

We have a dreadful record against Oxford Utd ... I have seen a number of heavy defeats so I would be reasonably happy with a high scoring draw.UTS

I saw a 7-1 away defeat when I was a kid,I think Atkinson got a hat-trick.

Yes, it was on Boxing Day. It was Big Ron's brother, Graham, (who died, 3 months ago) who did the damage. I remember it well. It fair ruined my Xmas! :( Big Ron played as well and the useless Terry Carling was in goal for us.

[Blackpool88]

I can certainly remember a 5 v 1 defeat at home Boxing Day 88! Pretty sure we were 1 up at half time aswel in what may have been Coakleys last game.

[leics_saddler]

Yes, I was there. I seem to remember it was a Naughton penalty.
Then we went all to pot in a mad spell (similar to the Dingles 2001 debacle) and Richard Hill got 4.

[Guest]

I have a choice this weekend. The drinkfest known as the Hong Kong Sevens or watching Makris score at the Banks's. No contest. I'll be flying into BHX on Saturday morning.

2-0 to Walsall. Makris will score.

(I witnessed Claude Gnapka scoring for Walsall, so anything's possible...)

Enjoy your stay and don't forget the weather is not quite up to HK temperatures....

Yes, I was swimming in the outdoor pool this morning.

Currently in the fierce air conditioning of HK airport - should get me warmed up, or maybe cooled down...

Thanks for your good wishes, Whitters. Seems to be hot and sunny in Birmingham at the moment.

I may have to revise my forecast after reading the above tales of woe v Oxford. It looks a certain 0-7!

No, I'll stick to 2-0. Makris to enjoy himself in the sunshine.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Starting line-up against Oxford United:

Etheridge

Preston
O'Connor
Laird
McCarthy

Osbourne
Chambers
Morris
Edwards

Moussa
Makris

Substitutes: MacGillivray, Dobson, Cuvelier, Jackson, O'Connell, Hayles-Docherty, Candlin.


Pleasantly surprised to see that Flo appears to be match-fit. Can we assume that Randall-Hurren is back at his parent club?

[Welsh_Saddler]

Very early goal ..... AFC Wimbledon 0 Bristol Rovers 1 (reported as 12 seconds)

At the Valley, it's Charlton Athletic 1 Southend Utd 1 (12 min)

Higher up the table, it's Scunthorpe Utd 1 Bolton Wanderers 0 (11 min)

Surprise time ... Sloppies 1 Rochdale 0 (15 min)

ditto..... Oldham Athletic 1 Fleetwood Town 0 (25 min)

[Welsh_Saddler]

Walsall yellow card, 32 minutes .... Jason McCarthy

Oxford United yellow card, 37 minutes ... Carroll (full-back)

Swindon Town 0 M K Dongs 1 (42 min)

Jezeph scores for Tamworth at Darlington - is that our young man, out on loan?

More surprises ... Northampton Town 1 Sheffield Utd 0 (44 min)

[chunkster]

Walsall yellow card, 32 minutes .... Jason McCarthy

Oxford United yellow card, 37 minutes ... Carroll (full-back)

Swindon Town 0 M K Dongs 1 (42 min)

Jezeph scores for Tamworth at Darlington - is that our young man, out on loan?

More surprises ... Northampton Town 1 Sheffield Utd 0 (44 min)

some of the results today are screwing my betting up :(

[vorny]

Meanwhile in the Championship it is Norwich 6-1 Reading. Travelling Reading fans better get a full refund and apology from the manager :shock: :shock: :?

[chunkster]

Meanwhile in the Championship it is Norwich 6-1 Reading. Travelling Reading fans better get a full refund and apology from the manager :shock: :shock: :?

150/1 on the draw :lol:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Oxford United substitution to start the 2nd half - Martinez on for Rothwell.

And just as I type that, we take the lead!!!!!!! Walsall 1 Oxford United 0 :D :D :D :D :D :D (MAKRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Oxford United promptly rattle our woodwork.......

[chunkster]

Makriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis :lol:

[SoccerHQ]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

[Ancient Moaner]

Hooooorrrrahhhhhhh!!! Makris has scored a goal, watch him get twenty before the season is out! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[SaddlerSteve]

We'd only just got to the top of the stairs to see the ball sailing into the net but not the actual strike. :|

Oh well.

He's broke his duck! :mrgreen:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Coventry City 1 Peterborough United 0 - Much too little, and far too late.......

Oldham Athletic 2 Fleetwood Town 0 now ...

Chesterfield 1 Port Vale 0