Cameron Brannagan’s penalty earned Oxford United a spot within the League One playoff ultimate as they drew 1-1 at Peterborough to progress to Wembley 2-1 on combination. Oxford adopted up their 1-0 first-leg triumph final Saturday to carry on for a attract a pulsating second leg and set up a showdown with Bolton on 18 Might.
Brannagan, a penalty specialist, made no mistake from the spot in first-half stoppage time after Des Buckingham’s aspect had briefly fallen behind to a Josh Knight aim. That’s the approach it stayed regardless of Peterborough piling on the strain to no avail within the second half.
Peterborough had been the very best scorers within the common League One season with an unlimited array of attacking riches, nevertheless it was a central defender who carried their largest risk through the first half, with Knight tormenting Oxford at set items. He glanced a header from a Joel Randall nook over the crossbar earlier than pouncing on Harrison Burrows’s free-kick solely to see a deflected shot overwhelmed away by the Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming. However the identical mixture did present the breakthrough six minutes earlier than half-time as a devilish supply from Burrows was steered previous Cumming by a nice sidefooted volley on the again submit from Knight.
Nevertheless, Burrows, League One’s participant of the season, quickly went from hero to villain when he conceded the penalty that allowed Oxford to degree within the third minute of stoppage time on the finish of the primary half. He blocked a Brannagan free-kick with a raised arm and the identical Oxford participant was solely too pleased to once more show he’s a grasp from the spot, sending Jed Steer the improper strategy to convert his tenth penalty of the marketing campaign.
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The hosts reacted to that self-inflicted blow effectively to dominate the second interval and go away Oxford hanging on to their combination benefit. Randall’s first-time strike was bravely blocked by the face of Joe Bennett earlier than Oxford’s captain, Elliott Moore, was lucky to see his tried clearance from a harmful Burrows supply roll straight to Cumming.
Supervisor Darren Ferguson threw on Malik Mothersille as the sport entered the final quarter and the two-time League One golden boot winner Jonson Clarke-Harris then joined Peterborough’s attacking arsenal as their seek for a aim grew extra determined. Nevertheless it was a fruitless chase, regardless of a bunch of shut shaves, with a Clarke-Harris header cleared off the road by Sam Lengthy earlier than Cumming produced a flying save to disclaim Knight a second and earn Oxford’s ticket to Wembley.
