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The U’s opened the scoring on 2 minutes when Kevin Appiah was played through before goalkeeper Will Utley came rushing out to claim but the loose ball rebounded into the path of Fiki Adesanya who slotted in.
Hereford were very unfortunate not to get back on level terms midway through the 1st half when Jack Tolley did well on the left, beat Euan Griffith before curling towards the top-right corner which beat the out-stretched keeper Will Jackson but cannoned back off the woodwork.
Before Oxford doubled their lead before half-time on 43 minutes after Harry Jones was dispossessed on the edge of the box by Hayden Vaughan who jinked into the box before slotting into the bottom-right corner past Utley.
A hat-trick of injuries to Josh Lloyd, Jack Tolley and Liam Coll in the first 45 didn't help the young Bulls' cause.
Barely after the whistle had gone after the break the U's added to their lead when they were awarded a penalty with referee Charlie Bullock pointing to the spot when Harry Firth brought down Adesanya before Kesh Purcell sent Utley the wrong way slotting into the bottom-right corner.
The young Bulls' best chance to get one back came after some sloppy play at the back from Oxford’s Albie Collins who upto that point had looked assured gave the ball away to Harley Jones Williams who was one-on-one with Jackson but the U’s keeper dived low to his right to preserve his clean-sheet.
However the hosts upped the ante showing their higher graded status adding a fourth after substitute Isaac Odhiambo’s run saw him marauder his way into the area before calmly steadying himself and sweep into the bottom-left corner before keeping the relentless pressure on Hayden Vaughan played a great ball from the right into Purcell who tapped in from close range.
Forward Purcell who'd been a thorn in the side of Hereford all night showed good physical strength to hold off Jones which allowed him to shield the ball into the path of Dourish before sweeping into the right side of the net.
The young Bulls were trying to stem the flow as best they could late on but the hosts notched a seventh from a corner routine by Hayden Vaughan on the right which was flicked on by Collins before a combination of himself and Purcell who will be claiming his hat-trick bundled home from close range.
However the debate to who got the final touch for the previous strike wouldn't be the case for the eighth with the hosts rounding out the scoring when Liam Kiriisa played in Purcell who opened his body up before curling past Utley into the opposite bottom-right corner to seal a comprehensive victory and progress into the 2nd Round for the U’s.
The scoreline not a true reflection of the cup tie which the Bulls continued to battle throughout and if Tolley's first-half strike had found the top-right corner whilst at only 1-0 it could of been a different outcome but it wasn't to be and in the end the hosts showed their EFL Academy prowess.
It's been a great run by the U18's this season and one they can be very proud of getting the club to the first round proper for the first time in six years since the 2019/20 season when the U18's we're defeated 5-1 by Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
It's back to the bread and butter of league action next for the U18's with the visit of Cheltenham Town U18’s to Newton Farm.
Words: Sam Cummins