Away Days: Oxford United

Stevenage prepare for their final away game of the season as they travel to Oxford United for a Friday night clash…

The Sky Sports cameras are out once again, as Boro look to return to winning ways this evening, with kick off at 8pm. Alex Revell will be the man in charge for the side’s last two games of the season, so he will be desperate to pick up a huge result at the Kassam Stadium.

Of course, Alex Revell is no stranger to this Stevenage side who he has coached all season, so he certainly knows what it takes to win tonight. A win against Oxford United is unfortunately rare when looking at previous results, with Boro winning just three of the 17 encounters between the two clubs.

Stevenage currently sit 9th in League One, six points behind Oxford United who occupy the final play-off spot. It has been a superb campaign for Boro who can hold their heads high after competing with the biggest clubs in the division.

The Opposition

Oxford United have two games remaining as they desperately aim to keep a hold of their spot in the play-offs. Lincoln City and Blackpool are right on their tails, so they are in need of a win tonight in front of those Sky Sports cameras.

They recently went on an impressive 3-game win streak which saw them pick up two 4-0 wins and a 5-0 win against Peterborough United. However, their run came to an abrupt end on Tuesday as they lost 1-0 to 10-men Lincoln City.

The U’s are currently the fourth highest-scoring side in League One, having netted 76 goals in 44 games. Their top scorer, Mark Harris has bagged 15, while star man Cameron Brannagan sits on 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions.

The Manager

Oxford started the campaign under the guidance of Liam Manning, but after his departure to Bristol City in November, they appointed Des Buckingham who has been in charge ever since.

This is Buckingham’s first managerial role in England, having previously coached in India, Australia and New Zealand. He did start his career at Oxford though, working as a coach in the academy before coaching in the first team under Chris Wilder.

The Stadium 

The Kassam Stadium has been home to Oxford United since it opened in 2001, and has a capacity of 12,500. Away supporters are typically housed in a section of the North Stand.

Officials

Tom Nield has been appointed Match Referee for tonight’s fixture, with Rob Smith and Bhupinder Singh Gill as his Assistants, and Alex Chilowicz as Fourth Official. Nield has dished out 108 yellow cards and one red in 27 games so far this season.