Oxford set up League One playoff final with Bolton after holding Peterborough

Thanks to Cameron Brannagan's penalty, Oxford United secured their spot in the League One playoff final after drawing 1-1 with Peterborough. This victory granted them an overall aggregate of 2-1 and a chance to compete against Bolton at Wembley on May 18th. Despite a thrilling second leg, Oxford United managed to hold on to their 1-0 first-leg win from the previous Saturday.

Brannagan, who has a talent for taking penalties, didn't mess up when given the chance just before the first-half ended. Buckingham's team briefly fell behind due to a goal scored by Knight but managed to hold onto their lead thanks to Brannagan's penalty. Although Peterborough tried their hardest to score during the second half, they were unable to do so.

During the League One regular season, Peterborough had a strong offensive approach and scored the most goals. However, it was surprising that their best attacking threat in the first half came from a central defender named Knight. He excelled at set pieces and caused problems for Oxford. Knight attempted a header from a corner by Joel Randall, but unfortunately, it went over the crossbar. In addition, he also attempted a shot that was deflected and then saved by the Oxford goalkeeper, Jamie Cumming, after a free-kick from Harrison Burrows. Before half-time, Burrows provided a great delivery which Knight skillfully steered into the back of the net with a sidefooted volley, breaking the deadlock.

But despite being named the League One player of the season, Burrows quickly went from a celebrated figure to a much-criticized one after he gave away a penalty that paved the way for Oxford to even the score in the last three minutes of the first half. Burrows obstructed a free-kick by Brannagan with his raised arm, and Brannagan himself displayed his excellent skills from the spot once more by sending Jed Steer the opposite way to successfully convert his tenth penalty of the season.

The hosts responded to their own mistake by playing better in the second half, and ended up dominating the game while Oxford struggled to maintain their overall lead. Randall tried to score with a quick shot, but it hit Joe Bennett's face instead. Then, Elliott Moore, Oxford's captain, was lucky when he tried to clear the ball from a tricky pass by Burrows but it went straight to Cumming instead.

During the later part of the game, Manager Darren Ferguson decided to bring in Malik Mothersille to bolster Peterborough's attacking options. The team also called upon Jonson Clarke-Harris, who has won the League One golden boot twice, to help them find a goal. However, even with several close attempts, they were unable to score. One chance saw Clarke-Harris heading towards the goal, but Sam Long cleared it off the line. Despite this, Cumming made an impressive flying save to prevent Knight from scoring another goal. Unfortunately for Peterborough, Oxford secured a win and a chance to play at Wembley.

After the game, Buckingham expressed that he will feel incredibly proud to guide his local team onto the field at Wembley in his inaugural season with them. Despite experiencing some difficult times during the journey, the players and staff have remained united, making this achievement a remarkable accomplishment for everyone involved with the club.

The 39-year-old stated that they were aware of the difficulties they would face during the game against Peterborough since they are a great team with some exceptional players. Peterborough scored the most goals in the league, indicating their prowess. They anticipated that they would have to endure a tough period of play, but it turned out to be longer than expected. Nonetheless, the players demonstrated a strong determination to guard their position.

Ferguson confessed his emotions: "I am aware that it is too soon to process, but my disappointment is profound since we've missed out on such a significant chance. Nonetheless, I feel a sense of pride for my team. We played exceptionally well, just like we have throughout the year... We dominated the opposition, yet we didn't receive the required luck that playoffs often demand."

He said that even though they were able to control the ball and score the necessary goal, the reason they lost the match was because they gave up a goal soon after. He mentioned that they cannot do anything other than acknowledge their opponents for making it to Wembley, even though they were fortunate to do so. He also shared that they thought they could win the game and reach their goal, but the cruel nature of football made that impossible. Now, they have to get back up and try again.