City into the FA Cup First Round Proper!

Oxford City 3

Parsons 53'

Prescott-Luke 65'

Edwards 82'

Beaconsfield Town 0

Three second half goals secured Oxford City three points at the MGroup Stadium, as they overcame Beaconsfield Town. 

City started the half the better side, with most of the play in their attacking third, a theme which then continued throughout much of the first half. Corners from Parsons looked dangerous as the game got underway, with efforts from Edwards being met by the keeper, as well as a long-range effort from Bough-French which dragged wide in the opening 10 minutes. 

City continued to dominate possession, Edwards going close on two occasions, with Parsons’ corners the threat once again. The first saw Edwards head goalward, but the visitors managed to deflect wide on 15 minutes. Then moments later, those two linked up again from a corner, with Edwards seeing her first-time effort blocked. 

Chances on goal were rare for the visitors, but Flood did have to be alert, making a comfortable save on 19 minutes, before Ayres recovered shortly after, with a well-timed tackle denying the hosts a one-on-one effort with our shotstopper. 

Throughout the remainder of the first 45, City dominated possession, but were repeatedly frustrated by the visiting defence, with just no way through for the Hoops.

The closest City came fell on 34 minutes, with Harris heading at the back post, an effort which hit both the post and crossbar, before rebounding back into the penalty area. Another who went close as the half came to end was Lester, who took aim from just inside the area, but saw her effort whistle just wide of the top right corner just before the half. 

Half-time: Oxford City 0-0 Beaconsfield Town.

City started the half strongly, with Harris hitting the post and Beaufort firing just wide from range within three minutes of the restart. 

It didn’t take them long to lead, courtesy of a lovely effort from Parsons. It was Ashby’s 53rd minute delivery that was attempted to be cleared by the visiting defence, with Parsons picking the ball up, rounding her defender, and passing into the far corner to take the lead. 

Prescott-Luke then doubled the advantage on 65 minutes, shortly after she saw a powerful effort saved in the Beaconsfield net. Nothing could stop this strike, however, as she powered an effort in off the underside of the crossbar in City’s second. 

City’s third came as the visiting defence lost possession, allowing Edwards to slot home on 82 minutes, which came shortly after City thought they had a third, forcing the ball in at the back post but being denied by the linesman’s flag. 

After being frustrated by the Beaconsfield in the first half, three second half goals saw job done for the Hoops, as they returned to winning ways with a clinical second-half performance on home turf. 

City XI: Aimee Flood, Billie Bough-French, Poppy Gorman (Hermione Prescott-Luke 25’), Sammy Dziminowicz, Reese Ayres (Angie Dunbar-Bonnie 81’), Emily Harris, Yasmin Edwards (Ellie White 87’), Sophie Lester (Anna O’Leary 90’), Ellie Walecki (Janaye Beaufort 32’), Kate Parsons (Ellie Walecki 83’), Ellie White (Meira Ashby 46’).