New England Soccer Today

Oxford draws Phantoms

England League Two club Oxford United faced a tougher opponent in the second match of their New England preseason tour on Friday night and were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against the PDL’s Seacoast United Phantoms in front of 700 spectators at Portsmouth High School in New Hampshire.

Seacoast’s Jordan Thomas battles OUFC’s Alfie Potter. (Photo: Seacoast United)

Tony Capaldi opened the scoring for Oxford on a 15th minute free kick, but the Phantoms found a 77th minute equalizer through Dylan George to give the two clubs a 1-1 draw matching the result of last summer’s match-up.

Fresh off a 2-1 win over the NPSL Seacoast United Mariners (Maine) on Tuesday, the Us got off to another good start when former Northern Ireland International Tony Capaldi blasted a 15th minute free kick from just outside the box through the Phantoms’ wall and into the net to put the visitors in the lead.

Neither side managed to find the back of the net for the rest of the half and it wasn’t until the 58th minute that the Phantoms finally managed to test Oxford ‘keeper Ryan Clarke with a shot from Scott Rowling.

Meanwhile the visitors continued to force Phantoms’ keeper Colin O’Donnell into action. The University of New Hampshire product made ten saves in the match.

Yet it was the Phantoms who would finally score the game’s second goal when Dylan George broke free of the defense in the 77th minute. The former UNH forward and Bangor, Maine native, finished inside the far post to knot the score at 1-1.

The match would end in a draw despite late pressure from Oxford. The Us had three shots cleared off the line in a ten second period in the 85th minute.

Oxford finishes off their New England tour against a New England PDL/NPSL All-Star team, dubbed the Jim Dedeus XI on Monday at Portsmouth High School. Tickets for that game are available online for $5.

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