Oxford to fall flat versus Stanley

18Dec 2012

FA Cup

Oxford United meet Accrington Stanley tonight in an FA Cup replay and while the hosts are odds-on, Paul Robinson thinks the away side could at least force extra time.

Oxford are a League Two club and after 22 matches they're in 18th position. In their last nine games in all competitions they've won just one inside regular time, which includes the 3-3 draw with Accrington in the original fixture of this tie. Chris Wilder's side were behind on two occasions during that match and it took a very late goal to force this replay.

At the Kassam Stadium, Oxford have tasted victory only three times from their last nine attempts, and while one of those wins was against this evening's opponents, Stanley's form has picked up since then. Last time out at home they were held by the lowly Aldershot Town and two games before that they fired a blank versus Torquay.

Accrington are also a League Two side and they are level on points with Oxford, trailing them on goal difference only. Leam Richardson was appointed as manager at the end of October after they'd fallen to four straight defeats and he immediately led them to three wins and three draws in their next seven.

The new boss' record away from home is pretty impressive thus far; played five, won two, drawn two and lost one. While the defeat did come in their last away trip, it was a narrow 1-0 loss to Burton who are in ninth place and on a good run at home.

This tie looks like a bit of a coin toss to me so 1.97 about Oxford getting the job done inside 90 minutes seems a bit too short, despite having home advantage. They simply don't have a good enough recent strike rate in front of their own fans and that's why I am making them my lay of the day.