Brown but not out as late miss costs win

OXFORD United boss Karl Robinson felt his team needed to stop chasing “the perfect goal” after they were taken to a replay by League Two side Forest Green Rovers at the Kassam Stadium.

Forest Green had the best two opportunities of the match, but both ended in dreadful misses, from Theo Archibald in the first half and Reece Brown in the second.

And sub George Williams hit a post right at the death.

League One Oxford had much more of the game, yet couldn’t make their possession count as the Gloucestershire side defended resolutely.

Robinson said: “We were quite dominant at times, and it was almost as though we felt we had to score the perfect goal.

“Sometimes we just needed to pull the trigger rather than take an extra touch. We needed to be a bit more ruthless. We should have won – but I don’t think we were very good.

“But I’d rather have a replay than be out of the competition completely.”

Oxford’s Northern Ireland international Gavin Whyte caused Forest Green a lot of problems with his running down the right and craft in the first half, but there was no one to get on the end of his crosses.

The first 45 minutes was a dull spectacle with neither keeper tested, apart from a comfortable save for Rovers’ James Montgomery from Marcus Browne, while Archibald blazed over from a great position ten yards out.

The game had more incident in the second half, with Oxford again controlling a lot of the play.

Whyte went close to breaking the deadlock with a left-footed shot early in the half.

However, the Gloucestershire outfit would have won it but for a shocking miss by Brown after 70 minutes.

With the goal gaping, Brown directed his side-footed shot from a Williams cross three yards wide from well inside the box.

Oxford substitute James Hanson saw his late long-range drive deflect just wide, but few could deny Forest Green deserved a second bite.

Forest Green manager Mark Cooper felt he could not have asked much more from his team.

He said: “We had two brilliant chances to win it before the end, and I don’t think anyone would have quibbled had we won it.”