Army chief inspires Oxford to win over Gillingham

Posted Sunday, November 18, 2018 by PA

Oxford boss Karl Robinson couldn’t watch as James Henry took the decisive penalty in the 1-0 win over Gillingham which lifted his team out of the bottom four for the first time this season.

Henry converted from 12 yards in the 59th minute, finding the top-left corner, with the Gills still upset about the penalty award after Marcus Browne tumbled over keeper Tomas Holy.

Robinson admitted: “I didn’t watch it. I just knew there was an ecstatic roar.”

Robinson also paid tribute on Military Day at the Kassam Stadium to Dems Regiment’s Lieut Col Richard Hallett.

He added: “I want to say thank you to three sets of people. To the boss [chairman Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth], and how supportive he has been.

“He knows how difficult it has been with all our injuries and has been back and forth from Thailand twice in the last week to ask what help he can give me.

“Then to the fans who got behind their team in unbelievable fashion.

“Lastly to the Lieut Col who was inspirational when he’s spoken to us before, and who I asked to do the second part of my team talk. He talked about going into war-torn countries and character.

“It was a helter-skelter football match that was difficult for me to watch – and my heart!

“If we play like that every week we won’t be successful but if we show that same desire we will be. One thing we have here is people who care.

“We hit the post and some blocks from them kept us out. We were comfortable, but we weren’t, if you know what I mean.

“To have seven clean sheets out of nine, as we have kept, is an unbelievable run. But our objective is not just to be out of the relegation places.

“I’m here for the long haul, to rebuild, work with the youth team and develop the club long-term.”

On whether it was a spot-kick, Robinson said: “He made contact. That’s our first penalty in the league this season, so we were due one.”

Gillingham boss Steve Lovell said: “If that was a penalty we should have had a couple too.

“Holy stood his ground and the fellow has bought the penalty. You could say it’s clever play or whatever, but he was looking for it and went over his leg.

“We had chances in the second half when we were on top and didn’t take them. The decisions on fouls that went against us were an absolute joke.

“We were creating chances, that’s why I didn’t see the need to change it. We did everything, we just couldn’t get that goal.

“To lose 1-0 and to lose in the way we did is very disappointing. But if the boys keep performing like that, they will eventually get the breaks they deserve.”