Football: Ashton in the frame

From the archive, first published Thursday 11th Mar 2004.

Jon Ashton has given Oxford United's management team serious food for thought about a recall for Saturday's clash with Division 3's bottom team Carlisle.

And Jefferson Louis did the same in United Reserves' 3-0 defeat at Swindon yesterday - but for the wrong reasons.

Ashton got forward impressively on the right flank when tried out at right wingback, several times getting into the home team's box.

But Louis gave an awful performance at centre forward and can be justifiably accused of professional football's biggest sin - simply not trying hard enough.

United turned in a dismal second-half display and were lucky to get away with a 3-0 defeat at the County Ground against a Swindon team packed full of teenagers and with the youth team goalkeeper coming on to play on the left wing!

Rory Fallon, who had hit the winner when the second division high fliers won 1-0 at the Kassam Stadium in a behind-closed-doors friendly in December, was again the scourge of Oxford.

He scored twice, although the totally free header he had ten yards out at a corner at the start of the second half was more down to defending which would have embarrassed a Sunday League team.

Ashton's performance was one of the few positive things to come out of the Pontin's Holidays Combination fixture for United.

Andy Scott had a reasonable game at left wingback, but Lee Steele was not selected, with Ian Atkins deciding that he might be better off working on weights.

Fallon's goals came on 56 and 60 minutes with Harry Hambridge making it 3-0 after 79.

The U's tried out triallist Alex Higgins, formerly with Boston United, on the left wing, but he hardly set the world on fire.

Oxford Utd Res: Cox, Ashton (Carbon 46), Scott (Burton 65), Oldfield, Garner, Mackay, Alexis, Brandish, Louis (Beechers 78), Winters, Higgins. Subs not used: R Tweed, J Tweed, Burton.

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