Exeter City beaten on Boxing Day

Goals from John Lundstram, George Baldock and Liam Sercombe handed Oxford United a Boxing Day win over Exeter City.

There was just the one change to the City line-up that suffered last-gasp defeat at home against Luton Town last time out, and that saw Ollie Watkins come in for Lee Holmes out wide. Liam Sercombe, the former St James Park favourite, started for the hosts after having got ten goals for the U's already this season since switching Exeter for Oxford in the summer.

The match was just moments old when Jamie Reid pounced on a loose ball, taking a touch before his deflected effort needed to be tipped over the bar by home team goalkeeper Sam Slocombe. Chris Maguire cut inside and curled wide at the far post at the other end in a lively first five minutes. With Oxford taking control of possession, Sercombe sought to trick the City wall by laying off for Alex MacDonald to bring a good save from Olejnik just shy of twenty minutes in, while Matt Oakley was in the right place to block Kemar Roofe's shot minutes later.

Roofe almost handed his side the lead when he flicked inches wide from a ball that had been cannoned into the City penalty area, but Ollie Watkins will have thought he should have done better after Tom Nichols squared for him after Joel Grant's through-ball. The half ended in a moment of controversy - after the already-booked Chey Dunkley took out Ollie Watkins, a melee broke out. Alex Nicholls and Alex MacDonald wrestled and both got booked, as did Jordan Tillson and George Baldock. But the referee allowed Dunkley off the hook.

HALF-TIME: OXFORD UNITED 0-0 EXETER CITY