City leave it late to earn solid point.



Oxford City 1

Potter 90+4'

Morecambe 1

Garner 55'

Alfie Potter’s injury-time equaliser stole a point for Oxford City as they came from behind to earn an impressive 1-1 draw at home against in-form Morecambe. 

After a relatively quiet first half in terms of chances, a busy second half saw Morecambe take an early lead, with a spirited reaction from the Hoops seeing them dig deep to level with seconds to go in the clash. 

Much of the opening stages of the affair flew by with little to trouble either keeper, with most of the play unfolding in the middle of the park. The Hoops did dominate possession in the opening 10 minutes, and looked the more threatening side going forward in that period, but the visitors quickly grew into the game. 

The only real chance the Shrimps had in the opening minutes, however, was as City lost possession just outside the penalty area, but the delivery from Morecambe was too high for anyone to head home. 

Back at the other end, it was a half-chance from Brown on the 20-minute mark that saw him strike from the edge of the area, with a block seeing his effort fire high into the air, and Myles Boney able to catch in the Shrimps’ net before Marsh could head home. 

Morecambe’s biggest chance of the half fell on 33 minutes, as an excellent touch from Matty Daly saw him in behind the defence, but he was leaning back, seeing his effort fire over the bar. 

Moments later, City threatened, with Pollock doing well to find Marsh on the edge of the area despite being brought down. The advantage was played, allowing Marsh to have a go with a well-hit effort, but it was too close to Boney, who claimed with a diving save. 

The half ended in more exciting fashion than it started, with both sides threatening to take the lead before the break, but neither side could find the breakthrough, seeing the sides in at the half on level footing. 

Half time: Oxford City 0-0 Morecambe 

It was a busy start to the second half, with early chances at both ends. The first fell to the Hoops, as a delivery to the back post was met by Bateman, but his effort deflected over the bar in what was almost the perfect start to the second 45. 

Moments later, Maxted kept the sides level, with a tricky save from an awkward angle seeing him get a glove to the close-range effort. Nothing could keep out the Shrimps’ next effort however, as they took the lead on 54 minutes, with Joe Garner arriving at the back post to drive a delivery high into the net. 

City didn’t let that dampen their spirits, and the MGroup couldn’t believe they hadn't drawn level on 67 minutes. A double clearance off the line for Morecambe kept the Shrimps ahead, the first as Ashby’s free-kick was cleared at the back post, with Pollock’s follow-up meeting the same fate. 

City continued to dig deep in the closing stages, and found themselves asking the question yet again of how did that not go in? It was an 80th minute corner from Pollock that, in a goalmouth scramble, was poked goalward by the Hoops, but somehow Boney got across to smother the ball on the line. 

In a spell where City looked the more likely to get the next goal, Morecambe were limited to chances, but they almost sealed the game with their second in the 83rd minute, with a golden chance which was headed onto the crossbar. 

City were to punish that missed chance, with an excellent 94th minute from Potter, hit from just outside the penalty area, curling in on Boney’s left in the decisive moment that saw the spoils shared. 

City XI: Maxted, Humphries, Ashby ©, Francillette, Johnson, Pollock, Tetek (McEachran 64’), Marsh, Brown (Potter 74’), Bateman (Smith 64’), Nelson 

Subs unused: Bloom, Carroll, Njogu, Kauan.