- Tottenham loanee Scarlett has now scored in consecutive matches for Oxford
- Mendez-Laing punished poor Oxford defending as both sides stay in the top half
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off!, available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday
Oxford and Derby continued to show they are up for the task at Championship level after an entertaining draw kept both sides in the top half of the table.
A combination of smart coaching and shrewd recruitment has helped to rip up the pre-season predictions tipping the promoted sides for relegation, but they couldn’t be separated after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing cancelled out Dane Scarlett’s opener.
Oxford, who remain unbeaten at home, started brightly and went ahead when Scarlett finished smartly to make it two goals in two, with the Tottenham starlet having previously not scored a league goal since February 2023.
But Derby fought back and when Oxford inexplicably failed to clear their lines, Mendez-Laing was ruthless. The Rams could’ve taken all three points, but Ebou Adams blasted over from inside the box late on.
Tougher tests may lie ahead, but with 11 games now played, these sides have demonstrated they’ve more than got what it takes to survive.
