On-loan pair Will Lankshear and Jamie Donley helped Oxford United to a vital home win over fellow Championship strugglers West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Striker Will headed in the hosts’ decisive second goal in what turned out to be a 2-1 victory, while attacking midfielder Jamie provided the assist for United’s first – scored by Stanley Mills.
The win represented Oxford’s first in seven Championship outings and moved them to within three points of the visitors in 21st – the last place outside the drop zone.
Will and Jamie, who were team-mates in our successful Under-18 and Under-21 sides a couple of years ago and who reunited at the Kassam Stadium following the latter’s loan switch in January, both started the game.
Jamie saw an early effort deflected wide before delivering the 14th-minute corner from which Mills headed them in front.
Will made it 2-0 just 12 minutes later, also with a header, before Oliver Bostock’s deflected strike reduced the Baggies’ arrears on 33 minutes.
That’s how it stayed, with Will being withdrawn on 64 minutes and Jamie following suit five minutes from time.
The U’s travel to face Preston North End where another of our youngsters, Alfie Devine, is on loan next Friday evening (8pm UK).