Barnet vs Oxford United

Oxford United made a flying start. In his first pre-season appearance, winger Stan Mills collected Tyler Goodrham's through ball 30 yards from goal, strode forward, and calmly slotted into the bottom-right corner past Taye Ashby-Hammond (3').

Barnet settled and created the better chances for the remainder of the first half. On-loan midfielder Oisin Gallagher forced a stunning save from Simon Eastwood on 29 minutes with a powerful effort from 18 yards, and the Oxford goalkeeper produced a smart double-save four minutes later to keep Kabongo Tshimanga at bay. Mills thought he had doubled the lead five minutes before the break when he raced onto a loose ball and headed it over Ashby-Hammond, but the Barnet goalkeeper reacted well to claw it away.

Barnet levelled nine minutes into the second half. Adam Senior met a low cross from the left and powered the ball into the roof of the net, with Gallagher again the architect (54').

Oxford responded with a wave of changes — nine players were replaced on the hour mark — and the fresh legs created the decisive moment. Aidomo Emakhu, one of the half-time substitutes, immediately tested Ashby-Hammond, and Leo Snowden should have scored when sent clean through by Harrison Bradney, but the Barnet goalkeeper saved again.

With two minutes of normal time remaining, Ruben Roosken charged down the left wing and cut the ball back to O'Donkor, who fired through the goalkeeper's legs from close range (88') — a particularly poignant strike given the forward's previous loan spell at the Bees.

Stan Mills (Oxford United) — Opened the scoring inside three minutes in his first pre-season outing and was the most dangerous attacking threat in the first half, twice going close to adding a second. A sharp return to action.

Oisin Gallagher (Barnet) — The on-loan Lincoln City midfielder was at the heart of everything Barnet did well, forcing a stunning save from Eastwood in the first half and providing the assist for Senior's equaliser. A productive afternoon on loan debut.

Gatlin O'Donkor (Oxford United) — The substitute scored the winner against his former employers, his second goal in as many pre-season games. His movement and instinct in the box proved the difference.

Player of the Match: Oisin Gallagher — the midfield influence was central to Barnet's best moments and he created the equaliser with a strong run and cross.

Barnet grew into the game after Oxford's early goal and created the clearer chances before the interval, with Eastwood's double-save the defining moment of the first half. The Bees' equaliser was reward for sustained pressure, but Oxford's squad depth told once Ramsey made wholesale changes on the hour mark. The one-way flow of the final 20 minutes — before the late goal — reflected the energy advantage of the League One side's deeper bench.

Barnet suffered their first pre-season defeat of the summer. Dean Brennan's side continue their preparations for the 2026/27 League Two season, which begins on 15 August 2026 at home to Salford City.

Oxford United made it two wins from two under Aaron Ramsey, following their 3-1 victory over Aldershot Town earlier in the week. The U's return to the Kassam Stadium to face Crawley Town on Tuesday 28 July. Oxford's pre-season continues under the cloud of a transfer embargo, making game time and squad cohesion all the more valuable.

A pre-season friendly that followed a familiar script: the higher-division side's early sharpness, the lower-league opponent's spirited fightback, and the deeper squad's quality coming off the bench to decide it. Both managers will have found useful answers — Ramsey in the resilience of his reshaped side, Brennan in the effectiveness of his new midfield combination.