A day to forget.

Oxford City 1

Humphrey-Ewers 67'

Maidenhead United 2

Beckwith 18'

Barratt 23', 60'

Smith 26'

Three goals in eight first-half minutes set Maidenhead United on their way to record a thumping 4-1 win over an abject Oxford City at the RAW Charging Stadium.

Sam Beckwith opened the scoring after 18 minutes, and then two goals from Sam Barratt and Reece Smith saw the match all but over before the half-hour.

The Hoops did grab a goal through Latrell Humphrey-Ewers, but the damage had already been done after Barratt had added a fourth ten minutes into the second period.

SELECTION

Ross Jenkins made two changes from the 2-2 draw with Kidderminster Harriers last Saturday.

Lewis Coyle dropped to the bench in favour of Alex McQueen & Mitchell Roberts was replace by Tafari Moore.

There was also a return to the RAW Charging Stadium for Maidenhead's Zico Asare, who spent a year with City during the 21/22 campaign.

First-Half

City’s best moment of the first half came inside the first minute when Alex McQueen burst down the right, with his ball across to Zac McEachran allowing the midfielder to cut onto his right, but his shot was straight at Craig Ross.

But Maidenhead quickly took control of the first period and, after a couple of warnings with Tobi Sho-Silva efforts missing the target, took the lead on the 18^th minute when Sam Beckwith’s shot from the edge of the box was pinpoint to find the bottom corner and give the Magpies the lead.

After that blow, the Hoops were then the masters of their own downfall, as a heavy pass from Josh Parker saw Humphrey-Ewers lose possession to Barratt, who was one-on-one with Jack Bycroft and made no mistake to double the lead.

Two then came three in as many minutes as Canice Carroll misjudged a header, with Reece Smith allowed in behind to lift the ball over the on-rushing Bycroft.

Half-Time: Oxford City 0-3 Maidenhead United

Second-half

Ross Jenkins made a double change at the break to introduce Lewis Coyle and Reece Fleet, and immediately the former looked to cut the deficit, but his shot from the edge of the box was well saved by Ross.

Bycroft was then called into action when Barratt attempted an effort from the half-way line with the City stopper off his line, but the Southampton loanee managed to backtrack to acrobatically push behind for a corner.

But Smith only had to wait five more minutes to grab his second of the game as his shot from long range beat Bycroft to put the game certainly beyond doubt.

The Hoops did rally, and did get themselves on the board on 63 minutes when the ball fell to Humphrey-Ewers on the edge of the box, with the midfielder’s precise effort finding Ross’s bottom corner.

This proved nothing more than a consolation, but the Hoops did set about trying to eat further into the deficit, and Coyle came closest when he took down a long ball over the top, forcing a fine save from the Magpies’ stopper from close range.

A frustrating day, but now attentions turn to the Isuzu FA Trophy, where City welcome Chelmsford City to OX3 in the Third Round.

Match Details

Attendance: 661 (110 Maidenhead)

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Bycroft, Burley (Williams-Bushell 64’), Carroll, Kpekawa, Moore, Humphrey-Ewers, Smith (Fleet 46’), McQueen (Coyle 46’), McEachran, Parker, Sanderson

Subs not used: Miccio, Fonkeu

Maidenhead United XI: 

Ross, Asare, De Havilland, Clerima, Beckwith; Petit, Ferdinand, Barratt, Smith, Nathaniel-George (Keetch 77’), Sho-Silva, (Massey 90’).

Subs not used: Omilabu, Kinsella, Adams.