Heartbreak for Hoops as Altrincham steal points.

Oxford City 1

Kirby 47'

Altrincham 2

Cooper 8'

Jones 81'

Oxford City were left to rue a string of missed chances, after a late Eddy Jones goal against the run of play consigned City to defeat at the RAW Charging Stadium in front of the TNT Sports Cameras. 

Centre-half Jake Cooper had given Altrincham the lead in the first-half but City were in the ascendancy from the on in. Nya Kirby equalised two minutes after the re-start as City looked to take all three points.

However, it was Alty who took the points after Jones tapped home Chris Conn-Clarke’s cross with ten minutes to go.

City ‘keeper Chris Haigh also made some outstanding saves late on to keep the Hoops in the game but ultimately, the good performance counted for nothing.

SELECTION

Ross Jenkins made four changes to the starting team that lined up away at Oldham.

Josh Ashby remained sidelined, and Zac McEachran dropped to the bench.

However, Nya Kirby and Josh Parker both returned to the Starting XI for City, and there was a place on the substitutes bench for new signing Remmy Smith.

First-Half

Despite a commanding performance, Alty took the lead with the first real chance of the game. Jake Cooper evaded detection inside the box after a short corner, and the defender had the freedom of the box to stroke home the first goal of the game.

However, City were quick to react, and if it wasn’t for some suspect finishing and fantastic goalkeeping from Robins’ stopper Ethan Ross, they could’ve gone into the interval ahead.

Josh Parker was left scratching his head as to how he wasn’t on the scoresheet after two superb blocks from the visitors in quick succession.

Firstly Lewis Baines did well to block the striker’s shot before the rebound bounced into the air and Parker’s headed effort was tipped over the crossbar by Ross.

Baines proved to be a thorn in the Hoops’ side too as once again he was on hand to make an excellent block to deny the hosts, this time it was Zac McEachran who saw his effort bounce behind the post after whistling inches past the post.

City were well on top in the match and the best chance of the half fell to centre-half Andre Burley, who met Lewis Coyle’s cross with a scuffed effort which saw the ball drift wide with the goal gaping.

Half-Time: Oxford City 0-1 Altrincham

Second-half

City didn’t have their shooting boots on in the first-half but it took them less than two minutes to find a goal in the second.

Nya Kirby pounced on the ball from just outside the area and had the composure to curl the ball around his man and into the bottom-right corner of the goal. A superb strike to reward City for their efforts.

It was one-way traffic in the game, and Ross was taking the accolades again, this time literally putting his head where it hurts to deny Lewis Coyle. The Hoops winger burst into the box and smashed an effort into the goalkeeper’s face.

He didn’t know too much about it, but it was a stunning save and after some treatment the Alty man soldiered on.

From then on in, Altrincham started to find their feet in the match and started to test City a little more. However, Ross Jenkins’ side continued to be the side in the ascendancy and reduce the visitors to half-chances.

Although, if you switch off in the National League for a second, you get punished and Altrincham exemplified that fact against the run of play.

The Hoops defence had done well to restrict Conn-Clarke throughout the game but with ten minutes to go the midfielder sent a thunderous cross across the box and Eddy Jones had the simplest of finishes to tap home a second.

Harsh on the Hoops!

From then on in, City had to chase the game and Alty’s counter-attacking style really came to the fore.

It may not be the result that Oxford City wanted, but goalkeeper Chris Haigh will certainly remember this game after he made three world class saves in the last five minutes of the match.

His best stop was to deny Elliot Newby’s free-kick. A stinging effort deflected off the top of the Hoops’ wall and looked to deflect into the corner. Somehow, Haigh managed to quickly change his body shape and race across his goal line to tip the effort over the crossbar.

As City pushed for an equaliser, Haigh was again on hand again to deny the hosts. This time he did well to deny Amaluzor whilst the winger bore down on goal and then again in the 95^th minute to block another Alty counter-attack.

A tough result to take for City, who were made to rue a string of missed chances. However, there are plenty of positives for Ross Jenkins to take from the performance, despite coming away with nothing.

Next up, a trip to Roots Hall to face Southend United.

Match Details

Attendance: 712 (88 Altrincham)

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Haigh, Burley, Kirby, Harrison, Coyle (Williams-Bushell 68’), Fleet ©, McEachran (Sanderson 66’), Smith, Parker, Carroll, Moore

Subs not used: Fonkeu, Humphrey-Ewers, Wilson

Altrincham Starting XI: 

Ross, E. Jones, Baines, Osborne, Marriott ©, Conn-Clarke, Amaluzor, Angus (Banks 58’), Cooper, Donowa, Newby

Subs not used: J. Jones, Roscoe, German, T. Jones