Archived News from September 2003
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STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
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When Mansfield gained their first-ever promotion way back in 1962-63, Oxford United enjoyed their first taste of league soccer. Oxford, who until 1960 were known as Headington United, were elected in place of Accrington Stanley, who resigned with just two months left of the 1961-62 season and finished 1962-63 in 18th position in the old fourth. Nevertheless, the clubs won one home game apiece in the 1962-63 season, the Stags 3-2 on December 8, 1962 and Oxford at their old Manor Ground 3-0 on April 27, 1963.
And away league trips to Oxford have in the past not proved fruitful for the Stags except on one occasion – and that was early on in the division 3 1976-77 Championship season when the Stags for the up to date only time gained points at all at Oxford by winning 3-0 on September 7, 1976 thanks to goals from Colin Foster, Terry Eccles and Kevin Randall after leading 2-0 at half-time in front of 3822. The home game on February 7, 1977 also ended 3-0 to the Stags in front of 8206 (those years the Stags played home midweek fixtures on Mondays) – Ernie Moss 2 and one strike from Kevin Bird hit the target – and that was during a period when the Mighty Stags won twelve games out of fourteen between December 18, 1976 and March 8, 1977. All other league games at Oxford have been lost and the clubs last met in the 2001-02 season when Oxford won the home game on December 15, 2001 3-2 (Corden and an Oxford own goal for the Stags) and the Stags the corresponding home fixture 2-1 thanks to first-half strikes from David Kelly and Adam Murray, both important players in the promotion push along with Les Robinson, who previously played ten seasons for Oxford, three of them as ever-present. The teams also met in the FA Cup 1st round in 2001-02 when an early Chris Greenacre strike secured a place in the 2nd round. But in fact, Oxford were stuffed in the cup tie and the Stags should have won by a higher margin. And the first time the clubs faced each other in cup competitions was way back in 1964-65. The season before had Oxford become the first team from the old fourth division to reach the quarter-finals – but in 1964-65 that counted for nothing as the Stags won a 1st round fixture at Manor Ground by the only goal of the game. The late Gordon Hodgson was transferred from the Stags to Oxford early on in the 1978-79 season but did not play in any of the Stags v Oxford league fixtures that season. But he was in the Oxford side that lost to a first-half Terry Austin strike at Field Mill on September 15, 1979. ... and the teams have yet to play a goal-less league and cup game. Played for both sides: Keith Cassells, Gordon Hodgson, Les Robinson Stats facts with the Stags figures first Home: P 8, W 5, D 2, L 1, GF 13, GA 9 Away: P 8, W 1, D 0, L 7, GF 10, GA 20 Season Home Date Away Date 1962-63 3-2 1962-12-08 0-3 1963-04-27 Div 4 (old) 1965-66 1-4 1966-01-01 1-4 1965-10-09 Div 3 (old) 1966-67 1-1 1966-10-08 1-2 1967-02-25 Div 3 (old) 1967-68 1-0 1968-03-02 0-2 1967-09-23 Div 3 (old) 1976-77 3-0 1977-02-07 3-0 1976-09-07 Div 3 (old) 1978-79 1-1 1979-05-14 2-3 1978-09-27 Div 3 (old) 1979-80 1-0 1979-09-15 1-3 1980-02-02 Div 3 (old) 2001-02 2-1 2002-03-09 2-3 2001-12-15 Div 4 Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right) |
Latest | September 2003