We’re into the final minute of the game at the Tristel Global Stadium in Newmarket. The scoreline reads 4-3 in favour of the Centaurs, OUAFC’s men’s second team. In the closing stages of a truly nail-biting affair, a defensive lapse from Cambridge allows Alex Feldman – ‘Xandy’ to his Instagram followers – to charge through on goal. He has the opportunity to seal the deal for Oxford and takes it with aplomb, coolly slotting the ball past the Cambridge keeper to extend the Centaurs’ advantage. In truly Agüero-esque, or, if you’re a purist, Deeney-esque fashion, Feldman immediately removes his shirt, whirls it around in ecstasy and lets it fly into the air as his teammates rush to celebrate with him.
Feldman’s last-minute strike to edge out the Falcons (pause) was the perfect end to a topsy-turvy day of football. The 700-strong crowd were treated to 17 goals over four matches and moments of true brilliance over the course of the event. When all was said and done, Cambridge managed to get the better of OUAFC’s reserve Varsity sides, triumphing in three of the clashes. Still, there was plenty for the Oxford faithful to celebrate on the day.
The action got underway at 10:30am, with the Phoenices–undoubtedly the best team name of the day–taking on Cambridge’s Merlins. The women’s third side looked impressive at the back, as the centre-back pairing of Julia Gartold and Ellie Kirkland hoofed the ball clear at the merest hint of danger. Despite the Phoenices’ resolute showing at the back, the Merlins – who not only represent Cambridge in BUCS but also allegedly tapped up players from CUAFC’s second team to represent them – breached the defence twice in the first 45 and maintained their lead heading into the break.
Even though they faced the uphill task of coming back from two goals down, the Phoenices started the second half with a spring in their step. Cheered on by a vociferous substitute bench, they started to play some truly liquid football, while simultaneously thwarting Cambridge’s efforts to extend their lead. Elsie Hunter Rawlings was a particular standout, flying into tackles and seemingly winning every header when the Merlins opted for the aerial route. The Phoenices were eventually rewarded for their efforts, as Hannah Giles of St Peter’s College latched onto Georgia Tate’s goal kick and slotted it home to reduce the deficit. Unfortunately, Oxford weren’t able to find an equaliser and had to settle for a narrow loss. The prevailing emotion at the end of the game was one of pride, however, with co-captain Desiree Cho praising the side’s performance, a marked improvement from last year’s 7-0 defeat. All in all, there’s a lot for the Phoenices to look forward to next year.
Then, it was the turn of the men’s threes to take the field. Hoping to build on last year’s 1-0 victory over the Kestrels, the wind was quickly taken out of the Colts’ sails. With around five minutes on the clock, Cambridge took the lead after keeper Ed Harrison was powerless to stop a free-kick from around 25 yards out from sailing into the top-left corner. Things went from bad to worse for the men’s threes, as the opposition doubled, then tripled their advantage in the space of six minutes. The Colts never really recovered following the early setbacks, and Cambridge were more than happy to sit on their lead, taking the sting out of the remainder of the game. Oxford were unable to convert their possession into threatening chances, which meant they eventually fell to a 3-0 defeat come the full-time whistle.
The women’s second team, the Furies, suffered a similar fate in their clash against Cambridge’s Eagles. Like the Phoenices, they kept things tight at the back and ensured that Cambridge were goalless at the break thanks to the efforts of defenders Liv Richardson, Flora Currie and Renee Chow. The latter in particular put in a noteworthy performance, battling back from a nosebleed to keep the left winger locked down all game. However, the Furies’ attack struggled to kick into gear and truly threaten the Eagles’ backline despite the dynamism of Hannah Byrne. After Cambridge were finally able to break the deadlock in the second half, they piled on two more goals to condemn the Furies to a 3-0 loss.
In truly idiomatic fashion, Reserves Varsity as an event saved the best until last, particularly in terms of drama. Both the Centaurs and Falcons started well in their clash, with scores level after a tense first ten minutes. It would be Oxford to draw first blood in the 18th minute, however, with Wadham’s Reuben Heffer slotting it into the back of the net for an early lead. There were chances at both ends following the breakthrough, but Cambridge got back on level terms shortly after the half an hour mark. Enter Gabe McCall, who lined up an audacious effort from 25 yards out and smashed it past the Cambridge keeper to give the Centaurs a 2-1 lead at the interval.
Oxford picked up where they left off after the break, and it didn’t take long for them to add a third goal. This time, it was captain Tim Auth to get his name on the scoresheet with a lovely finish from a set-piece. The Falcons would not go down without a fight, though, and pulled one back from the spot after a – let’s say dubious — ’handball’ decision. The final ten minutes were as chaotic as you could hope to see on a football pitch. McCall managed to get his second of the afternoon with a delicate dink over the keeper, which was almost immediately cancelled out by another Cambridge goal to make it 4-3. With the whole crowd on the edge of their seats as the match hung in the balance, Alex Feldman wrote his name into the Reserves Varsity history books, and not just because of his aforementioned celebration. His strike to make it 5-3 ensured that the Centaurs avenged last year’s narrow 3-2 defeat, something that the teams and travelling fans celebrated all night long.
