Oxford United beat Southampton in pre-season friendly

Harris finished from a Rodrigues cross 10 minutes before the break, with the latter doubling the lead shortly before half-time at Grenoble Road.

It was a mature and promising display from Des Buckingham’s side, with the U’s head coach naming a strong starting line-up, and one which included a trialist on the left wing.

The unnamed trialist made a bright start to the game, picking up the ball on the left and driving forward, before flashing an effort wide of the far post with nine minutes on the clock.

Five minutes later, Harris sought to play the ball across the six-yard box and in the direction of the trialist, but Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy blocked off the cross.

The visitors had their first sniff of goal when Argentinian midfielder Charly Alcaraz stepped into space and drove a fizzing shot wide from 20 yards.

A chance then fell for Sekou Mara, whose instinctive close-range effort was denied by Jamie Cumming, with Peter Kioso on hand to clear the loose ball, with Kamaldeen Sulemana hovering.

Sulemana then cut inside Kioso and got a shot away, however Cumming was able to make a comfortable save.

The Saints, under the guidance of boss Russell Martin, regularly looked to build from the back, but on a handful of occasions, it almost caught them out.

A poor ball out from McCarthy was intercepted by Rodrigues, and it fell to the feet of the trialist, who saw his low effort pushed wide of the post.

With 10 minutes to go until the break, United took the lead through Harris.

Rodrigues took possession on the right-hand side and played a lovely cross in, which Harris poked home from close range.

McCarthy was almost caught out again, when another sloppy ball out found Tyler Goodrham, whose deft sidefooted attempt rolled just wide from 20 yards.

The U’s doubled their advantage though when Rodrigues produced a composed finish from just outside the penalty area, leaving McCarthy with no chance.

Southampton looked to get on the front foot early in the second period, with a driving run from Sam Edozie forcing Elliott Moore to put out a leg and divert the cross over his own bar.

Both teams took it in turn to make a raft of changes near the hour mark, and one of those new faces, Joe Aribo, drove a low 20-yard shot wide for the Saints.

Naturally, the number of alterations took some sting out of the game, as both sides adjusted to plenty of new teammates around them.

The Saints had the majority of the ball, and attempted to pin United into their own defensive third, but Buckingham’s side remained solid at the back and were able to keep the visitors at arm’s length.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Cumming; Kioso (Long 46), Moore (Golding 63), Brown (Thorniley 63), Bennett (Leigh 63); Rodrigues (McGuane 63), Vaulks (McEachran 46), Brannagan (El Mizouni 63); Goodrham (O’Donkor 63), Harris (Goodwin 63), Trialist (Sibley 63).

Unused subs: Ingram, Currie, McIntyre, Elliott-Wheeler.

Booked: None.

Southampton (4-3-3): McCarthy; Bree (Sagawara 61), Edwards (Harwood-Bellis 61), Wood (Bednarek 61), Taylor (Stephens 61); Charles (Downes 61), Alcaraz (Armstrong 46), Manning (Aribo 61); Amo-Ameyaw (Smallbone 61), Mara (Dibling 22), Sulemana (Edozie 36).

Unused subs: Lis.

Booked: None.

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey)

Attendance: 5,073 (TBC visitors).