Oxford United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion: Dane Scarlett earns late point for U's
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Oxford United and West Bromwich Albion at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday; Dane Scarlett scores late equaliser for Des Buckingham's side.
Saturday 19 October 2024 16:01, UK
Substitute Dane Scarlett headed a dramatic injury-time equaliser to earn Oxford a 1-1 draw against West Brom and prevent the Baggies going top of the Championship.
Karlan Grant's second goal of the season gave Albion a first-half lead.
Grant fired home superbly in the 29th minute with a low 25-yard drive that beat Jamie Cumming to his right, fizzing into the net off the inside of the post.
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But Oxford rallied in the second half and in the third minute of stoppage time, Elliott Moore headed on Will Vaulks' long throw and Scarlett nodded home from seven yards out.
The leveller maintained United's unbeaten home record this season.
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There was an impeccably observed minute's silence before kick-off to remember popular right-back George Baldock - who had been on loan at Oxford in two spells - who died tragically earlier this month at the age of 31.
It was a tentative start for both sides in front of a sell-out crowd, with Albion, fourth in the table at the start of the day, making their first visit to the Kassam Stadium.
Boosted by the return of skipper Moore, the U's also had left winger Siriki Dembele returning to the starting line-up.
Mark Harris, back from international duty with Wales, had an early opportunity as he ran through on the left but goalkeeper Alex Palmer saved with his body.
The visitors began controlling the middle of the park, and Darrell Furlong finished off one move by firing a 20-yard shot wide.
Right-back Furlong also went close with a flicked near-post header from Alex Mowatt's corner that flew just over the bar.
The opening goal from England Under 17, 18 and 19 international Grant was probably deserved on the balance of play.
Oxford responded with left-back Ciaran Brown heading a corner narrowly over.
However, the Baggies soon regained their authority and looked dangerous whenever they attacked, which became increasingly often.
Grant cut in from the left again, just before half-time, and struck a shot that Cumming this time saved comfortably.
Home fans were unhappy at a number of fouls on Oxford players going unpunished, and there was a huge roar when referee Leigh Doughty eventually awarded a free-kick for a trip on Dembele.
The U's began the second half strongly, Vaulks firing an effort wide before a cross by Dembele evaded everyone and almost crept in at the far post.
The Baggies were spending much less time attacking, though after one scramble in the box, Cumming saved when Uros Racic drove through a crowd of bodies.
The home side's equaliser stunned the Baggies, who simply had no time to respond.
The managers
Oxford's Des Buckingham:
"It's massive for Dane. He's been very patient. He's had fewer minutes than he would have liked but then Mark Harris has been in extremely good form.
"But what we have now is three very good strikers, in Sparky, Dane and Will Goodwin, who's injured at the moment.
"It's about time one of those long throws came off - we don't use them that often.
"We chucked an extra body in the box there at the end because of the time and Elliott, even with the size he is, did well to win the flick-on because they've got six or seven who are about eight foot tall!
"We came up against a really good side in West Brom and to be able to put on the second-half performance that we did, and to come away with a result against them, was very pleasing."
West Brom's Carlos Corberan:
"We have lost two points because of the game management in the last moments of the game because at that time you need to create more attacks and not give the ball to the opposition.
"There was one key action as well where we gave the ball to them - this is one thing I regret, and we should have managed better the last few minutes.
"We didn't defend the long throw-in well but it wasn't just that because in the box anything can happen.
"In the second half too we didn't find the ideas to attack well and in the first half we had some more opportunities and possibilities but we didn't get that second goal which would have made us not regret those last moments."
