City lose out to South Shields.

Oxford City 1

Own Goal 32'

South Shields 3

Toby Onanaye 14', 37'

Paul Blackett 18'

Oxford City beaten 3-1 by South Shields at the MGroup Stadium, with three first-half goals from the Mariners proving too much of a deficit for the Hoops to overturn. 

The game started as a fairly even affair, with both sides looking to get the ball down and control the game. That being said, it was City with the better of the chances, with Pollock looking dangerous from the get-go. It was his third-minute header which glanced Brown’s delivery narrowly off-target, with a corner shortly after almost going all the way in from our number 7, but Jasper Sheik reacted well to deny in the South Shields net. 

City continued to create the better of the chances, most notably as Pollock charged forward and delivered low on 13 minutes, a ball which was just out of reach of the stretching Bateman. 

South Shields, however, proved the more clinical side, netting on 14 and 18 minutes to take a two-goal lead. The first came as City couldn’t clear their lines, allowing Toby Onanaye to fire home from close range. A second shortly followed, as Paul Blackett found himself in behind the defence. From there, he rounded the oncoming Maxted, and passed into the far corner to double the Mariners’ advantage. 

The Hoops didn’t let the setback dampen their spirits, with Nelson looking bright down the right-hand-side, seeing a powerful effort blocked on 22 minutes, before driving forward moments later, but hitting the side netting from an awkward angle.

City did get one back, with a goalmouth scramble on 32 minutes, following a Pollock corner, seeing the Hoops push the ball over the line. Amidst a busy box, with plenty attacking the ball, it could have been Francillette, Ashby, or Carroll with the final touch, but it was South Shields who turned into their own net in their attempt to clear. 

It didn’t take long, however, for the visitors to restore their two-goal advantage as, on 37 minutes, a ball split the defence, allowing Onanaye to slot into the far corner in his second of the afternoon.

The Hoops, once again, responded well, and looked the more likely to add to the scoreline before the half, but they couldn’t reduce the deficit before the whistle, leaving a big second-half task on their hands. 

Half-time: Oxford City 1-3 South Shields. 

South Shields started the half with a gifted chance to get their fourth, as they looked to pick out the bottom right corner, but the effort drifted wide. 

Both teams then continued to look bright in attack, with the next to go frustratingly close being Francillette. It was his header, on 55 minutes, which was met by the fingertips of Sheik, in the first of two quick-fire saves from the shotstopper. The second came just minutes later, as Brown darted forward, and looked to pick out the top left corner, but he was denied by an excellent reactive save in the Mariners’ net. 

The City mentality saw them continue to push for the next goal, with a critical moment following, as Thakgalo Leshabela received a second yellow, reducing the Mariners to ten for the final 20 minutes. 

Still creating chances as the game came to a close, McEachran went close with a back-heeled effort on 79 minutes, with Humphries taking aim from range moments later, with a dipping effort falling just to the wrong side of the crossbar. Smith looked bright on the right wing, driving forward and delivering for the Hoops, whilst Pollock continued to show his threat with an unmarked header, but he couldn’t create the power to beat Sheik. 

A late attacking change saw Carroll replaced by Westendorf, as the Hoops tried to salvage something from the clash, but ultimately time ran out, as 10-man South Shields stood strong to take all three points back to the North.

City XI: Maxted, Humphries, Ashby ©, Francillette, Pollock, Tetek (Forestieri 66’), Marsh, Brown (McEachran 72’), Carroll (Westendorf 87’), Bateman (Smith 56’), Nelson. 

Subs Used: Bloom, Potter, De Silva.