- Joshua Ruffels (90'+6')
Ruffels late show lifts Oxford to victory over Doncaster
Oxford ended a run of three successive home defeats in all competitions as Josh Ruffels' last-gasp strike lifted the U's to a 1-0 win over Doncaster at the Kassam Stadium.It seemed the hosts were going to rue Jack Payne's missed penalty in the 79th minute but, deep into added-on time, Ruffels spared his team-mate's blushes with a superb long-range strike.Oxford thought they should have been awarded a spot-kick early on for a foul on Wes Thomas while James Henry's first-time effort forced Rovers goalkeeper Ian Lawlor to tip round the post.At the other end, Tommy Rowe and Andy Butler might have done better with headers from set-pieces.Doncaster's best chance came when Rowe's shot just before the hour mark hit the right post and rolled along the goal-line.Oxford were gifted a golden opportunity to break the deadlock when Payne was brought down by Andy Butler just inches inside the box.Payne picked himself up to take the spot-kick, but struck it too close to Lawlor, who saved well to his left.It looked like the spoils would be shared but midfielder Ruffels hit a low left-footed drive from 25 yards that beat Lawlor at his left post in the sixth minute of injury-time, handing Oxford a victory that moved them up to eighth, five points adrift of a League One play-off spot.
Game Information
English League One Standings
Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portsmouth | 46 | 28 | 13 | 5 | +37 | 97 |
Derby County | 46 | 28 | 8 | 10 | +41 | 92 |
Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | +35 | 87 |
Peterborough United | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | +28 | 84 |
Oxford United | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | +23 | 77 |
Barnsley | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | +18 | 76 |
Lincoln City | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | +25 | 74 |
Blackpool | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | +17 | 73 |
Stevenage | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | +11 | 71 |
Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | +5 | 65 |
Leyton Orient | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | -2 | 65 |
Wigan Athletic | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | +7 | 62 |
Exeter City | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | -15 | 61 |
Northampton Town | 46 | 17 | 9 | 20 | -9 | 60 |
Bristol Rovers | 46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | -16 | 57 |
Charlton Athletic | 46 | 11 | 20 | 15 | -1 | 53 |
Reading | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | -2 | 53 |
Cambridge United | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | -22 | 48 |
Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | -32 | 48 |
Burton Albion | 46 | 12 | 10 | 24 | -28 | 46 |
Cheltenham Town | 46 | 12 | 8 | 26 | -24 | 44 |
Fleetwood Town | 46 | 10 | 13 | 23 | -23 | 43 |
Port Vale | 46 | 10 | 11 | 25 | -33 | 41 |
Carlisle United | 46 | 7 | 9 | 30 | -40 | 30 |