City win away... again.



Radcliffe 0

Oxford City 3

Pollock 18'

Marsh 25'

Ashby 85'

Oxford City moved up to 2nd in Enterprise National League North as they cruised to victory beating Radcliffe 3-0 on the road.

Once again, it was Pollock and Marsh who hit the back of the net with one-a-piece in the first half, which complemented an excellent Ashby free-kick in the closing stages.

Both teams showed intent from the get-go, ensuring an end-to-end start to the clash, with shots at both nets in the opening stages, but it was Marsh who went closest.

His strike, in just the 2nd minute, powered back across goal, and would have beaten Tom Donaghy in Radcliffe’s net, but instead dragged narrowly wide.

The hosts continued to push forward, but the City defence did well to shut them out in the opening ten minutes, whilst, at the other end, Bateman was unlucky not to open the scoring. It was a 7th minute header which tested the reaction of Donaghy, who did excellently well to get down to his left to push the effort away.

City continued to look the more threatening side going forward, and who other than Pollock to take the lead! His 6th of the season saw him bring the ball, which looped over his head, down on his chest, and strike from inside the penalty area, leaving Donaghy no chance in Radcliffe’s net.

Another who is common amongst the goals so far this season is Marsh, and his time to leave the net shaking shortly followed.

It was McEachran that threaded him through, with our number 9 striking his laces through the ball from close range to double the advantage on 25 minutes.

A period followed where much of the play unfolded in the middle of the park as both teams attempted to exercise control.

A golden opportunity to claw one back fell to the hosts in the 41st-minute, as they were awarded an edge-of-the-area free-kick, but a confident punch from Maxted denied any danger.

Immediately back down the other end, it was Ashby to have a go from range, but Donaghy was equal to the skipper’s strike, his gloves stinging from the power of Ashby’s effort in the last real chance before the break.

Half-time: Radcliffe 0-2 Oxford City

City started the second half well, with efforts from Pollock and Brown firing wide within the first six minutes as the visitors searched for their third. In continuing that search, Pollock stood over a series of corners as the game approached the hour mark, but the hosts were denied on every entry, the most notable of which as Potter saw his edge-of-the-area strike blocked.

A spell followed where the hosts threatened to get themselves back into the fixture, ensuring Maxted was still alert, as City’s number 1 was called upon to intervene, most notably as he punched away a curling corner in the 64th minute.

Moments later, Radcliffe found themselves inches away from clawing one back, as a close-range volley fell narrowly wide of Maxted’s right post, whilst Johnson and Francillette were kept on their toes, both making crucial clearances to secure what was a hard-fought clean sheet.

Radcliffe certainly threatened to get something from the fixture in the closing stages, but the Hoops ensured that there was no way through, whilst, at the other end, Ashby ensured that all three points would be travelling back to Oxfordshire.

An incredible free-kick from the skipper saw him bend an effort from the left-hand side of the box in at the near post in the 85th minute, opening his account for the season, and ultimately securing the victory.

City XI: Maxted, Humphries, Ashby ©, Francillette, Johnson, Pollock, Marsh, McEachran (Potter 48’), Brown (Smith 78’), Bateman (Kauan 86’), Nelson.

Subs not used: Bloom, Njogu, Carroll, De Silva.