REPORT: OXFORD 3-0 GILLS

Oxford United took maximum points from the Kassam Stadium on Saturday following a 3-0 win.

The hosts netted three times in eight second half minutes with Jack Payne, Joe Rothwell and Rob Hall all on target.

Gills had a few chances to try and make something of the game with Tom Eaves missing the target early on with Jake Hessenthaler and Martin unable to beat the home defence.

Ady Pennock made three changes to the team that lost at Shrewsbury with Gabriel Zakuani, Jake Hessenthaler and Conor Wilkinson replacing Luke O’Neill, Billy Bingham and Liam Nash respectively.

Sean Clare started on the bench for the second successive game with Tomas Holy continuing between the sticks.

Oxford fielded new signing John Mousinho in their starting XI. The former Preston man played five times for the Gills on loan in 2013/14.

There was a late change for the hosts with Christian Ribiero injured during the warm-up so Canice Carroll stepped in with Mike Williamson added to the list of subs.

Gills started brightly without sufficiently troubling Simon Eastwood in the Oxford goal, with headers from Eaves, Wilkinson and Ben Nugent missing the target. However it was Holy who made the first meaningful save of the match, getting a strong right hand to John Obika’s shot before the danger was eventually cleared.

Obika was involved again on 18 minutes; Oxford came forward in numbers and played some excellent Football which ultimately resulted in Rob Hall getting past Wagstaff in the box before pulling a ball back for the forward who, with the goal at his mercy, blazed over from no more than eight yards.

H/T: 0-0

The away fans had hardly sat down before Oxford took a deserved lead. Hall’s initial shot was blocked at the near post by Holy but Obika then received the ball and drilled a shot in with Payne doing very well to flick the ball home from close range.

And before the visitors could settle they found themselves two down. A brilliant through pass from Payne spotted the run of Joe Rothwell and, despite pressure from two Gills defenders, lifted the ball over the advancing Holy and into the net.

Oxford were very much in the ascendency and they claimed a third goal on 56 minutes. The impressive Hall again caused problems on the right flank, Holy came across to defend his near post but the power of the shot was too much for the keeper and he could only watch as the ball went past him.

The hosts took their foot off the power a little bit following such a good spell, although sub Wes Thomas should have increased the lead seconds after he came on but skied an effort from close range.

Gillingham tested the Oxford keeper for the first time on 72 minutes. Holy threw the ball out to Martin who was by himself on the left hand side, he sprinted towards the opposing penalty area and tried to curl an effort into the bottom corner but was thwarted by Eastwood before Hessenthaler’s drilled effort missed the target.

Sub Gino Van Kessel went close on a couple of occasions with Martin nearly pulling a goal back in the dying seconds, only for Eastwood to grab the ball low to his left.

F/T: 3-0

Oxford: Eastwood, Carroll, Nelson, Hall, Ledson, Payne (Mowatt 66), Henry (Van Kessel 59), Rothwell, Obika (Thomas 66), Ricardinho, Mousinho.

Unused subs: Shearer, Martin, Ruffels, Williamson.

Gills: Holy, Zakuani (Ehmer 76), Lacey, Nugent, Ogilvie, Wagstaff, Hessenthaler, Byrne, Martin, Eaves (Nash 57), Wilkinson (Parker 57).

Unused subs: Arnold, O’Neill, Oldaker, Clare.

Attendance: 6730 (382 Gills)

Referee: Mr M Salisbury