No need for any preamble for this one: get the point we need and party, before the planning for next season would start on Monday; lose and it would be nervously watching the Oxford v Sheff Wed score with every expectation that it would all go to the final day. And to our collective massive relief we won, when for a while it seemed as if another home defeat was staring us in the face.
The team/squad was always going to see changes from Tuesday night, given injuries to Bell and Godden. Jones opted for a couple of additional changes as Clarke returned having been unavailable against Ipswich, Coady came in for Coventry, and Knibbs and Carey would start, with Rankin-Costello on the bench and Campbell joining him there. It meant a central defensive three of Sichenje, Jones and Gillesphey in front of Kaminski with Clarke and Fevrier (switched to the left side) as wing-backs, Coady and Coventry in defensive midfield, Carey and Knibbs operating in support of lone strike Kelman, with Leaburn joining Dykes among the subs.
Like against Ipswich, our set-up seemed to confuse the opposition in the early phases and we were on top, with for once a majority of possession. We had all the chances against a lacklustre Hull, with Carey and Knibbs providing good support for a lively Kelman and the wing-backs pressing forward. The best moment say Kelman skip past a guy on our right. He low cross was cleared but went back across goal for a Coady shot which was saved at the second attempt by their keeper.
We got our reward on 19 minutes. A Coady ball forward saw Kelman compete for it on our left. He did well to get the better of his immediate challenger and emerge with the ball, but Hull had numbers back and there seemed little threat, until Kelman moved it inside onto his right and then sent a beautiful curled shot into the far corner of the net, giving their keeper no chance. It is up there as a goal of the season contender.
However, also similar to the Ipswich game, we suffered a defensive injury, this time on 26 minutes as Kaminski and Sichenje both went down. The latter couldn’t continue and Burke came on to replace him. Almost immediately Clarke was sitting deeper and Hull from that point on seemed to gain momentum, pressing us back and picking off more of our out balls. That might have happened without the change, but they did started to enjoy the lion’s share of the ball and to probe, looking dangerous from set pieces.
It seemed as though we would make it to the break, including seven minutes of stoppage time, ahead and able to regroup. But just at the end Clarke was pressured into an error, conceding an unnecessary corner. Kaminski picked up a yellow trying to delay matters but when the ball was sent in beyond the far post he couldn’t come to claim it (he was being held back) and their guy headed back goalwards. It was hooked away but had clearly crossed the line – and suddenly we were heading into the dressing room on level terms.
The set the nerves on edge and the first 20 minutes of the second half had them jangling as Hull had nearly all the play and threatened several times. A dangerous ball in from the left just beat everyone – although that was matched by Fevrier sending in a similar one at the other end which Knibbs just failed to make contact with. On 53 minutes a Hull attack turned dangerous as Coady slipped, a first shot blocked and the second sent wide. Jones had to turn another low cross over his own bar for another in a series of Hull corners.
We were under the cosh and sitting deep. Everyone in the ground knew we don’t score more than one in a game and Hull had no option other than to press forward for the winner, given their need for the points. Jones the Boss responded on 62 minutes as Campbell and Chambers came on for Corey and a tired Knibbs, with Fevrier switching to the right side and TC looked to to provide some relief in taking the play to them. And glory be the change paid off as out of the blue on 67 minutes we did the unthinkable and scored again, with another individual’s goal and another excellent one – more remarkably making it two goals in a game from open play.
Fevrier picked up the ball on the right side and as with Kelman’s goal Hull probably thought they had matters under control, with three defenders around him. But he beat one and cut inside, moved the ball past another challenge into a shooting position and before another could close him down shot beyond their flatfooted keeper.
The completely changed the game, forcing Hull into further changes to strengthen their attack but for us meaning that we would have to concede twice in the final 20 minutes or so to lose. Hull did have chances, especially on 83 minutes (after Dykes had replaced a clearly knackered Kelman) as Kaminski made a rare error, fluffing a punch clear, leaving their guy to shoot on the turn. Fortunately for us he hit it wide.
As the clock ticked down we were cheering every boot out of defence and anything that relieved the pressure. Dykes outmuscled a defender to get on the end of a Kaminski kick and from a narrow angle forced a save from their keeper, giving us a corner, from which TC and Fevrier could waste some time. We went into six additional minutes still ahead and increasingly confident, despite some tired legs and Docherty picking up what looked like a groin strain and unable to run (or really walk); as with Godden on Tuesday night we’d used up all of our possible changes. Their keeper came up for a late corner and we almost had the icing on the cake as Fevrier ran pretty much from box to box, swerving past their keeper who had got back, only for his shot into what we hoped was an empty net to be turned away by a defender. It didn’t matter, the final whistle came shortly after – and we were safe.
Plenty of relief and celebration post-match, culminating in Jones the Boss’ speech and the most predictable confirmation of Jones the Player picking up both Players Player of the Year and Player of the Year (for the second season in a row). At the time of writing Oxford are 4-1 up against Sheff Wed – but we couldn’t give a monkeys. We can have a laugh at Swansea – I’m reminded of the end of the third season in the top flight under Lennie Lawrence: we’d survived the first (epically) via the play-offs, avoided the play-offs in the second on the final day by getting a draw at Stamford Bridge (sending Chelsea into the play-offs, they were relegated), and in the third made it to safety with a game to spare. We travelled to Notts Forest and sang all game, lost 4-0, and the Forest fans couldn’t understand why we were so happy.
The serious stuff for next season can start in due course, but for now the owners, manager, players and fans can bask in what has eventually become ‘job done’. The move into midtable oblivion after the seven-points week didn’t happen, and the poor run we’ve been on will increase speculation over where and to what extent we need to strengthen. But first we party – and carry out the promises made of what to do if we got the point we needed. For me that will mean tonight a return to eating some cheese, my nightmare, as I did after we beat Middlesbrough. My partner Suzanne has chosen some truly evil-looking stuff. That moment will pass, looking at the table tomorrow will give me an enduring smile.
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