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5 hours ago
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Precipitation not perspiration was the order of the day here, as the rain hammered down on the banks of a bloated River Thames and Sunderland made it to the FA Cup fifth round without having to break a sweat.
Habib Diarra’s first-half penalty secured victory for Régis Le Bris’s visitors but the margin flattered Oxford who put up the meekest of fights.
With two teams of reserves contesting a tie in a competition that is neither’s priority, this was a drab match in sodden surrounds. There was little magic of the Cup to be found, but to their credit 9,879 spectators made a decent atmosphere all the same.
The Oxford manager Matt Bloomfield made nine changes from the team beaten by Championship relegation rivals Norwich in midweek, including a home debut for Jamie Donley lining up alongside fellow Tottenham loanee Will Lankshear. Despite their relative youth, both players shared the same physical quality as their teammates: a broad-shouldered profile that allowed Oxford to effectively contest the duels and give them a foothold in the match. This was made easier still by the willingness of Sunderland to play at a soporific tempo after Le Bris himself made six changes from the defeat at home against Liverpool.
Donley had the game’s opening chance in the 18th minute with the opportunity served up by Lankshear. Making connection with one of the many long balls aimed over the top of Sunderland’s improvised defensive pairing of Luke O’Nien and Nordi Mukiele, Lankshear held possession and teed up Donley who found the space to hit a left foot effort that Robin Roefs could only punch clear.
Sunderland opened the scoring on the half-hour with one of their first forays upfield. A bundling challenge by Christ Makosso on Denis Cirkin sent the Sunderland man to the floor in the box and with no video assistant referee in operation there was no chance to pick over a foul that seemed rather soft. The referee Thomas Kirk was immediate in his decision and Diarra rolled a bobbling penalty into the right-hand corner of Matt Ingram’s net. “One-nil to the referee,” sang the home fans their sense of any hope draining away.
Oxford created another decent chance before half-time, this time a Will Vaulks long throw. After winning the first contact in the box, the ball sprung out to Makosso who could only steer a header wide of Roef’s far post.
Those hoping for an injection of energy to proceedings after the half-time break were to be disappointed.
Around the hour mark the visitors should have doubled their lead, with Romaine Mundle, Chemsdine Talbi, Trai Hume and Mukiele all forcing Ingram into instinctive saves in consecutive minutes.
Jamie McDonnell, on as a substitute, could have upset the applecart, but he shot over when well placed in the box after another long throw. When one final Vaulks projectile came off the unfortunate Makosso’s toe with the clock ticking towards 90 minutes, the jig was up.
