Arguably this was Cambridge’s Varsity match to lose. Having found themselves in the same BUCS league for the season, the 132nd Football Varsity Match was the two sides’ third meeting of the season with Cambridge having laid down a gauntlet beating Oxford just a month earlier. The Oxford blues side were coming off the back of a tough season, having been missing key players Ben Stzreter, Sam Gomarsall and Mike Moneke for most the year and only just survived in a tough relegation battle. Worse still, Laurence Wroe who had started at centre back all season was injured in the final warm up game before the match, leaving Oxford fans nervous and presenting Captain Alex Tsaptsinos and Coach Mickey Lewis with a selection headache.
Yet the scrappy, tightly fought fixture that everyone expected on March 27 was all but that. Right from the outset Oxford exerted their dominance in the centre of the park with returning Blue’s and Varsity match veterans Alex Tsaptsinos and Brook Tozer looking confident and calm on the ball as they sprayed their passes across the Craven Cottage turf. The breakthrough came after only fifteen minutes when a clever bit of skill for Jacob Burda on the right wing saw him beat his man for pace before delivering the ball on a plate for the marauding Tsaptsinos, who was able to slot it home from six yards out.
Everyone expected a Cambridge response but Oxford’s solid back four of Brown, Moneke, Wade and Gomarsall protected by Canadian hardman Kieran Gilfoy meant that the man between the sticks, Ben Stzreter had little to do for much of the game. Oxford were clicking into gear with Burda continuing to look like a threat down the right and American James Somerville causing the Cambridge centre halves all sorts of problems with his physical presence up top.
Half time provided some much needed respite for the Cambridge side that had survived wave after wave of Oxford attack and somehow went into the break only a goal down. The start of the second half was much the same as the first, with Oxford midfield continuing to pass the ball through Cambridge, cutting through them like a knife through butter. Recognising the predicament his side were in the Cambridge coach made a switch, bringing on an extra attacking player in the hope of getting his side back in the game. Oxford too, made a change, with the excellent Burda being replaced by the diminutive but nevertheless skilful winger John Dineen.
It didn’t take long for Oxford’s super sub to make an impact, cutting in from the right; Dineen used his low centre of gravity to great effect, jinking past his opponent before sending a left footed curler in from 25 yards, leaving the Cambridge keeper with no chance. Whilst his goal was simply sublime, the same cannot be said for his celebration which involved a pretend golf-shot and an odd hip-wiggle in front of the jubilant Oxford fans. Perhaps he should keep those moves for the Cheese floor.
At this point it seemed the game was all but over and Oxford demonstrated maturity and poise as they saw out the game. Appearances from Dan Brown and Dominic Thelen from the bench brought fresh legs and allowed Oxford to cruise to the final whistle as 2-0 victors. The score line fails to do justice to Oxford’s performance, which was superb from start to finish. Calm and composed at the back, with flair and creativity in midfield and some clinical finishing at the key moments. A shout out must go to Captain Alex Tsaptsinos who in his final varsity match made the Cambridge midfield look frankly second rate with some excellent skill, slick passing and a cool head, deservedly being named Man of the Match. The Blues (currently on a tour of California) could head to the States confident that a team which had showed promise all season had finally hit their stride.
OUAFC Varsity Squad: Stzreter, Gleeson, Wroe, Moneke, Brown, Wade, Gilfoy, Tsaptsinos, Tozer, Gomarsall, Burda, Feeney, Brown, Dineen, Somerville, Thelen
Reserves: Mole, Hilbers, Faktor
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