Oxford United 3-1 Morecambe
Sky Bet League One
The Kassam Stadium
Saturday 30 October 2021
Kick-Off: 3:00pm
Attendance: 8,766 (228 Shrimps)
Goals from Steve Seddon, Mark Sykes and Matty Taylor secured three points for the home side, despite a stunning volley from Cole Stockton.
Seddon opened the scoring on the 29th minute when he headed home from close range. Stockton hit back with a thumping volley just after the hour mark, before Sykes beat Jokull Andresson to the ball to prod home on the 73rd minute.
Taylor wrapped up the afternoon two minutes from time, as his chipped effort ended up in the bottom-right corner of the Morecambe goal.
Inside the opening minutes of the game Greg Leigh denied Sykes an opportunity on goal as the Jamaican international put in a sensational last-ditch challenge to nick the ball off of the strikers toes.
Up at the other end, Adam Phillips came close to opening the scoring as a ball through from Cole Stockton found the on-loan Burnley man in space but the defence was on hand to user his effort out of play.
A minute before the half-an-hour mark, the hosts took the lead.
A corner from James Henry was headed goal-wards by Elliott Moore, the flicked on at the near post by Matty Taylor and there was Seddon to nod home and score his second goal of the Sky Bet League One season.
On the 41st minute Wes McDonald stung the palms of Simon Eastwood in the U’s goal. The winger chose to cut in from the left and unleashed an effort from 25-yards out, but Eastwood was behind it and parried the danger away.
Moments later, the Shrimps had their first real chance to level the game up. A cross from the right by Ryan Cooney was headed goal-wards by Stockton, but Eastwood was equal to it once again.
On the stroke of half-time the hosts had one more opportunity to go in at the break up by two, an effort by Holland was inches away from finding the bottom-left corner of Andresson goal, but thankfully for the Shrimps it went wide of the mark.
Half-time: Oxford United 1-0 Morecambe
At the start of the second period, Morecambe had a huge chance to get back into the game.
A drilled ball from the right directed towards the back-post reached its intended target in the form of Ryan Delaney, but the centre-back could not sort his feet out and shanked his effort wide of the target.
Moments later the home side were awarded a penalty, a long-ball over the top was misjudged by Jokull Andresson leaving Taylor with the ball at his feet.
Andresson in a desperate effort to regain the ball adjudged to have pulled the striker down by referee Lee Swabey, who in-turn pointed to the spot.
Up-stepped Henry, and thankfully for Stephen Robinson’s side he got too much height on his effort and the ball ended up in the crowd behind Andresson’s goal.
On the 64th minute the Shrimps were level. A stunning cross from the right by Cooney was met with an equally brilliant volley from Stockton who left Eastwood in the U’s goal with absolutely no chance.
Nine minutes later, the home side were back in-front.
A cross from the left by Seddon was knocked down by Taylor who found the on-rushing Sykes who prodded home ahead of Andresson.
Full-time: Oxford United 3-1 Morecambe
We are back at the Mazuma Stadium on Tuesday night, as we host Cambridge United in Sky Bet League One.
Oxford: Eastwood, Long, Thorniley, Moore (C), Gorrin (McGuane 69’), Taylor (Agyei 90’), Sykes, Henry, Kane, Holland (Whyte 69’), Seddon.
Subs not used: Plumley, Williams, Forde, Bodin.
Goals: Seddon 29’, Sykes 73’, Taylor 88’
Bookings: None.
Red cards: None.
Morecambe: Andresson, Leigh, O’Connor (C), Jones (Price 83’), McDonald, Diagouraga, Stockton, Delaney, Ayunga (Harrison 86’), Phillips (McCalmont 74’), Cooney.
Subs not used: Letheren, McLaughlin, Gibson, Wottoon.
Goals: None.
Bookings: Andresson 51’
Red cards: None.