Loughborough Foxes defeated by Oxford United

FA WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH OXFORD UNITED WOMEN 4 LOUGHBOROUGH FOXES

WOMEN 2 EX-WSL 2 side Oxford United Women are up to sixth after defeating Loughborough Foxes Women 4-2.

The visitors got off to the perfect start when in-form Kate Lowder broke the deadlock. Lowder whipped the ball into the near post and Oxford’s number one, Lucy Thomas, pushed the ball into her own net.

But Oxford equalised less than ten minutes later as Florence Fyfe cut inside and curled her effort into the top corner following a short corner.

Oxford must have thought they had gained advantage in the game but Fyfe’s back post header was chalked off for offside. The U’s did however take the lead as Fyfe notched hers, and Oxfords, second of the game. Emily Allen whipped in an inviting cross which Fyfe slammed home.

Lowder could have had her second of the match just before half time but her lofted effort didn’t have enough height or pace to beat Thomas.

Foxes came out strongly in the second half and had good chances through Lowder and Young but neither were able to capitalise.

Foxes’ persistence did however pay off, albeit by some Oxford misfortune. A relatively comfortable back pass was miss-controlled by Thomas, and the keeper could only watch the ball trickle over the goal line.

Foxes had chances to take the lead but Bartle headed over from a corner and Rogers was denied from close range by Thomas to prevent the third.

A draw was probably a fair result on reflection of both halves, but Foxes were made to rue their missed opportunities and Oxford were ruthless in the last 15 minutes.

Catherine Beaver pounced on a goal mouth scramble to put the hosts back in the lead and Emily Allen put the game to bed by adding a fourth with an emphatic strike from the edge of the box.

Those three points see Oxford leapfrog Foxes into sixth position with nine points out of a possible eighteen. Foxes slip to eighth with seven points from six games.

On Sunday, Foxes host early title contenders Chichester City Ladies at the University Stadium.