KARL Robinson toasted Oxford United’s latest magic moment as Nathan Holland’s stoppage-time strike against Portsmouth secured another comeback victory.
With the game locked at 2-2 in the 96th minute, the winger cut in from the left flank and fired in off the post from 25 yards.
It settled a ridiculous afternoon at the Kassam Stadium featuring five goals, 11 yellow cards, a sending-off for Pompey’s Joe Morrell and an interval of more than half an hour due to an ‘incident’.
United have secured successive 3-2 wins from behind at home, having done the same against Sheffield Wednesday a fortnight ago.
Both games welcomed crowds of more than 10,000 and Robinson knows the scenes at full-time will live long in the memory.
United’s head coach said: “If I’m being honest, I thought he (Holland) was poor when he came on the pitch.
“These players have moments of magic that make you shout ‘wow’.
“I don’t think you can remember too many moments at this football club where the atmosphere’s at this level, not consistently.
“The noise at the end was deafening, this is why we do our job.”
The game began in breathless fashion and never relented, with Luke McNally heading United in front, Michael Jacobs equalising and Morrell sent off for a high challenge on Brannagan in the first 16 minutes.
The U’s had a string of chances, only for Ronan Curtis to put Pompey ahead after the extend interval.
The ten men held out until eight minutes from time, when Cameron Brannagan fired a stunning effort past Gavin Bazunu from 25 yards.
It set up a grand finale and Holland sealed victory from an almost identical position, as United beat another of League One’s giants.
Robinson added: “We’ve beaten Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday here 3-2.
“These are big football clubs that in the not too distant memory were at the top level.
“We’ve got a lot of quality in this team.”
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