Kemar raises the Roofe at Oxford as League Two side knock Premier League Swansea out of the FA Cup

      

 Little Oxford of League Two are through to the fourth round of the FA Cup and who knows where Swansea are headed.

If they ultimately stay in the Premier League then they will likely not care in the slightest about this January afternoon when they were embarrassed, out-passed and dumped on their backsides by a side 55 places astern in football's hierarchy.

But for now they must wonder where this season of calamity will go next, having been beaten at their own game by a club who rather fancy themselves as an imitation. Certainly, Swansea were understrength, with 10 changes made to the side that played Manchester United in the Premier League, but what price on momentum and a positive feeling?

That has been the main benefit to Alan Curtis' stewardship of the club since Garry Monk was sacked, but this defeat could leave a scar.

And yet they can have no complaint. They led through a brilliant goal from Jefferson Montero but after being picked apart repeatedly, Oxford levelled with a Liam Sercombe penalty and then pulled ahead with a couple of goals from Kemar Roofe, once rejected by West Brom and recirculated via Iceland.

The FA Cup makes heroes of men like Roofe and also Michael Appleton, his forward-thinking manager who was burned by woeful years at Portsmouth, Blackpool and Blackburn and is flourishing. 

Oxford, with their tree-sided ground, sit third in League Two and are passing their way to better things.

The performance from his side was delightful, a frenzy of passes. Quite simply, they were excellent, storming at the club they'd love to replicate and, perhaps, offering a reminder of how compelling it is to see a side revel in their possession and pace.

Time and again, Appleton's assortment of dreamers and rejects and prospects surged at Swansea and repeatedly found a way through. 

Considering it was a Swansea backline of spare parts, there's no great surprise in that. But still, the greater cause of Oxford's effectiveness was the vision of John Lundstram, once of Everton, the runs of George Baldock from right back and the tactical adjustments of Appleton.

One of those was to target Swansea's novice right back Liam Shephard, a 21-year-old debutant who clearly has ability on the ball but was caught out of position on occasion. 

Appleton sniffed that out early and soon Shephard was being singled out for attacks.

Mailonline