This was the game fans had been looking forward to all season from the moment the fixture list was announced. After the home victory, the anticipation had been rising all year. The threats and intimidation on the Outlaws site. Scarfers and casuals, young and old : all equally at risk. The weeks before the game rumours and talk galore:- trains to Dunstable, what time at St Pancras?, reconnaisance trips, coaches and minibuses.
The day of the match, the Outlaws "spotters" updating from every pub, pizzahut and service station within a 10 mile radius. The "it's kicked off in town with a glassing" thread at around 3pm.
Getting off the train in Luton: police everywhere, horses, riot vans - from about 5 different forces. Kebab shops, gold shops, sari shops, Halal butchers, an old cinema converted into an evangelical church. Small groups of lads circling the shops and parades near to the ground, making frantic phone calls.
The walk down Beech Hill Path to the away entrance. Hoodies lurking in the shadows. Rows of dilapidated terraced houses, huge piles of rubbish and bin bags in the front gardens, more rubbish and an old toilet in the back garden could be seen through a broken down panel fence.
Getting stopped and checked for tickets before entering a police cordon just to get in the queue to get in the ground. A strange entrance, squeezed in between the houses on the Oak Road. Another half hour wait, everyone gets searched before getting into the ground. Climbing what seemed to be an old steel fire escape steps to get into the Oak Road stand.
Constable, Murray, Cook and 2 others who were not in the squad sat in the segregation netting at the top to sit right up close to where the wildest Luton fans would be in the Main Stand. Were they sure about this?
Remnants of the old plastic pitch still being used surrounding the pitch. The "Executive Stand" being ludicrously small with a few boxes and 2 rows of seats in front, netting high above the stand to stop balls from straying into the gardens behind. An old goalmouth stacked up in the remains of the terracing to one side in the Kenilworth Road End.
Long before kick-off, songs ringing around the Oak Road end, a traditional deep terrace with a low metal barrel shaped roof, although now all seater, not that anyone was bothering to sit down.
Adam Chapman taking out Happy Harry the Luton mascot with a slide tackle from behind to win the ball. Harry offering Chappers an opportunity to discuss matters further outside.
Players warming up and taking pot shots at the goal in front of us. A woman getting smacked in the mouth by a loose shot. The programme seller positioned right behind the goal net, with every shot into the goal threatening to burst the back of the net and whack him on the back or the head.
The players and managers and coaches emerging from the main stand, before crossing the whole pitch over to the dug-outs by the Executive Stand.
The first 20 minutes played at full pelt by both sides. Stevenage going behind at Mansfield to put Oxford back at the top of the league. Luton going close with a shot against the post, quickly followed by Clarke punching another away with one fist.
People still arriving into the ground half an hour in. The strange feeling in recent years of being at an away ground more than outnumbered by the 7,000 home fans, all squeezed into a ground where the stands are no more than a few yards from the pitch, three sides all with low rooves to echo the noise around. EIEIO; my garden shed; sh!t ground no fans; Chrissy Wilder's yellow army; Give me an O; We are top of the league; Chris Wilder My Lord; Oh Swindon Town; Small town in Watford.
Luton fans: Bounce in a minute; Pussi Pussi. They had lots more songs, but we didn’t hear any over the sound of our own.
Half time entertainment as ex-United player Nelthorpe warms up in front of the Oxford fans, firing a few loose shots into the crowd.
Deering off for Matt Green, who was soon sending the U's fans into delirium with 15 minutes to go. Police immediately sent to the front of the Oak Road stand to watch for any trouble from the Oxford fans. The delight of shouting down the Luton fans: Top of the League; Staying Down.
The Luton fans then pushing and fighting amongst themselves. Were there Oxford fans in amongst them? Was the bloke with the white hat/hoodie leading it? Steward and police in riot gear trying to restore order. A riot helmet being removed and thown around the crowd by the Luton fans in the top corner.
Chapman on for Potter, then with 2 minutes of normal time, Fran Green on for Midson - surely the time for Creighton at the back?
And then 5 minutes of injury time at 9:33. A draw might be fair as Luton had deserved their chances. One goal down from a corner. The Luton fans go wild, checking our watches at 9:38, surely that must be it. The ref checks his watch three times, but there is time for one last corner.
Keane scores direct from the corner with the last kick of the game, the Luton fans roar and bounce. The Oxford are in stunned silence, looking at each other in amazement, as if a small child has just kicked us in the shins and stolen an ice cream and run off.
Was it as bad as relegation against Leyton Orient? Then it just seemed inevitable as a win was needed and we were only drawing as the end of the match approached.
As bad as the play-off semi final 2nd leg against Exeter? After Duffy had fluffed a one-on-one with the goalie, again it seemed it would never be our night.
As disappointing as the game against Northwich? It ended that the play-offs were out of our hands anyway, and the defeat was a disappointing end to a cracking 2nd half of the season.
So yes, it did seem worse than all three of those games. The worry that not only are Stevenage and York breathing down our necks, but Luton might be up for the challenge too.
Slowly waiting to file out in silence, not even looking over to see the ecstatic Luton fans, the players celebrating as if they had won the title in one match.
The day of the match, the Outlaws "spotters" updating from every pub, pizzahut and service station within a 10 mile radius. The "it's kicked off in town with a glassing" thread at around 3pm.
Getting off the train in Luton: police everywhere, horses, riot vans - from about 5 different forces. Kebab shops, gold shops, sari shops, Halal butchers, an old cinema converted into an evangelical church. Small groups of lads circling the shops and parades near to the ground, making frantic phone calls.
The walk down Beech Hill Path to the away entrance. Hoodies lurking in the shadows. Rows of dilapidated terraced houses, huge piles of rubbish and bin bags in the front gardens, more rubbish and an old toilet in the back garden could be seen through a broken down panel fence.
Getting stopped and checked for tickets before entering a police cordon just to get in the queue to get in the ground. A strange entrance, squeezed in between the houses on the Oak Road. Another half hour wait, everyone gets searched before getting into the ground. Climbing what seemed to be an old steel fire escape steps to get into the Oak Road stand.
Constable, Murray, Cook and 2 others who were not in the squad sat in the segregation netting at the top to sit right up close to where the wildest Luton fans would be in the Main Stand. Were they sure about this?
Remnants of the old plastic pitch still being used surrounding the pitch. The "Executive Stand" being ludicrously small with a few boxes and 2 rows of seats in front, netting high above the stand to stop balls from straying into the gardens behind. An old goalmouth stacked up in the remains of the terracing to one side in the Kenilworth Road End.
Long before kick-off, songs ringing around the Oak Road end, a traditional deep terrace with a low metal barrel shaped roof, although now all seater, not that anyone was bothering to sit down.
Adam Chapman taking out Happy Harry the Luton mascot with a slide tackle from behind to win the ball. Harry offering Chappers an opportunity to discuss matters further outside.
Players warming up and taking pot shots at the goal in front of us. A woman getting smacked in the mouth by a loose shot. The programme seller positioned right behind the goal net, with every shot into the goal threatening to burst the back of the net and whack him on the back or the head.
The players and managers and coaches emerging from the main stand, before crossing the whole pitch over to the dug-outs by the Executive Stand.
The first 20 minutes played at full pelt by both sides. Stevenage going behind at Mansfield to put Oxford back at the top of the league. Luton going close with a shot against the post, quickly followed by Clarke punching another away with one fist.
People still arriving into the ground half an hour in. The strange feeling in recent years of being at an away ground more than outnumbered by the 7,000 home fans, all squeezed into a ground where the stands are no more than a few yards from the pitch, three sides all with low rooves to echo the noise around. EIEIO; my garden shed; sh!t ground no fans; Chrissy Wilder's yellow army; Give me an O; We are top of the league; Chris Wilder My Lord; Oh Swindon Town; Small town in Watford.
Luton fans: Bounce in a minute; Pussi Pussi. They had lots more songs, but we didn’t hear any over the sound of our own.
Half time entertainment as ex-United player Nelthorpe warms up in front of the Oxford fans, firing a few loose shots into the crowd.
Deering off for Matt Green, who was soon sending the U's fans into delirium with 15 minutes to go. Police immediately sent to the front of the Oak Road stand to watch for any trouble from the Oxford fans. The delight of shouting down the Luton fans: Top of the League; Staying Down.
The Luton fans then pushing and fighting amongst themselves. Were there Oxford fans in amongst them? Was the bloke with the white hat/hoodie leading it? Steward and police in riot gear trying to restore order. A riot helmet being removed and thown around the crowd by the Luton fans in the top corner.
Chapman on for Potter, then with 2 minutes of normal time, Fran Green on for Midson - surely the time for Creighton at the back?
And then 5 minutes of injury time at 9:33. A draw might be fair as Luton had deserved their chances. One goal down from a corner. The Luton fans go wild, checking our watches at 9:38, surely that must be it. The ref checks his watch three times, but there is time for one last corner.
Keane scores direct from the corner with the last kick of the game, the Luton fans roar and bounce. The Oxford are in stunned silence, looking at each other in amazement, as if a small child has just kicked us in the shins and stolen an ice cream and run off.
Was it as bad as relegation against Leyton Orient? Then it just seemed inevitable as a win was needed and we were only drawing as the end of the match approached.
As bad as the play-off semi final 2nd leg against Exeter? After Duffy had fluffed a one-on-one with the goalie, again it seemed it would never be our night.
As disappointing as the game against Northwich? It ended that the play-offs were out of our hands anyway, and the defeat was a disappointing end to a cracking 2nd half of the season.
So yes, it did seem worse than all three of those games. The worry that not only are Stevenage and York breathing down our necks, but Luton might be up for the challenge too.
Slowly waiting to file out in silence, not even looking over to see the ecstatic Luton fans, the players celebrating as if they had won the title in one match.
An Oxford beanie hat dropped in the seats, or had it been thrown their in despair?
Alsations and dog handlers in every other front garden on the Oak Road. The slow walk back to the station through the stationary traffic and Luton scarfers. Car horns beeping from all around town. Throngs of people from both sets of fans walking alongside each other in the same direction so you were not sure who was from which side. The wail of police sirens as the police vans made their way to the station.
Overall, a memorable night.
Overall, a memorable night.
