Oxford United 4-1 Hartlepool United, FA Cup third round

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FA Cup: Oxford United 4-1 Hartlepool United highlights

Oxford United came from behind to beat non-league Hartlepool and book their place in the FA Cup fourth round.

The third-tier side went in at half-time 1-0 down after Rob Dickie's scuffed backpass allowed Mark Kitching in on goal to slot past Jordan Archer.

Fine second-half goals from Rob Hall and the influential Shandon Baptiste turned the match around for Oxford.

Tariqe Fosu-Henry and a Matty Taylor penalty in the last 10 minutes sealed victory for Karl Robinson's side.

After a difficult opening half-hour, Oxford grew into the game and showed their quality in a decisive period at the start of the second half.

Hall cut inside and curled home a left-footed effort in the 52nd minute, before Baptiste capped a fine individual performance with a superb solo goal shortly after the hour mark.

The Grenada international, who looked threatening throughout, glided through the Hartlepool defence before slotting the ball past keeper Mitchell Beeney.

The hosts pulled away in the closing stages, with Fosu-Henry tapping in the third and Taylor converting from the spot after Mark Sykes was bundled over in the area.

The visitors felt they should have been given the chance to extend their lead with the score at 1-0, but referee Michael Salisbury waved away Kitching's appeal for a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Oxford United boss Karl Robinson told BBC Radio Oxford: "We were very good first half. It could have been more, we just didn't hurt them enough. It was a ridiculous error from ourselves.

"If we played the best team in the world, then we are going to make it difficult for them for 20 minutes.

"We'll deny space, not make things easy and it was always going to be the case - but it was about discipline. We have identity now, a style that some may criticise, but we stuck to it which was the pleasing thing.

"Our players were excellent. The way they conducted themselves over the course of 90 minutes was impeccable, and they stuck to their guns."

Hartlepool United boss Dave Challinor told BBC Tees: "When you play teams at a higher level, if you do leave yourself open at the back their movement and quality will cause you all sorts of problems.

"We had another 45 minutes it's a long time in football we'd done ever so well and tried a bit last five minutes of the first half and made mental errors.

"Games can be decided on moments, Nicky [Featherstone] going through and what happens there, whether there's a foul, Mark Kitching going in on the far side and whether there's a potential penalty there.

"They're little things that if you're going to come here and win, you need to go in your favour, then at the start of the second-half we've not been able to hold out long enough to cause that panic and frustration which we had been able to in the first-half. We're always going to be disappointed."

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