Pollock's first half hat-trick lifts City to second.

Spennymoor Town 1

Jenkins 35'

Oxford City 4

Pollock 16', 41', 45+2'

Marsh 52'

A First-Half hat-trick from Scott Pollock helped an (almost) faultless Oxford City cruise to a 4-1 victory away at Spennymoor Town. 

The in-form midfielder netted all three of City’s First Half goals in the North East as the Hoops secured victory at Brewery Field at a canter. 

Josh Jenkins’ brief equaliser was the only blot on the team’s copybook as the team climbed to second spot in Enterprise National League North.

The first-half was extremely cagey until the opening goal.

Pollock, who had been a nuisance throughout the opening moments of the contest, was set through on goal and stayed composed to slide in the opener for City. 1-0.

The leveller came ten minutes from the interval. Despite Spennymoor’s appetite to play out from the back, which was constantly stifled by the excellent Hoops (or pinks on this occasion), the goal came from a long throw-in.

Jenkins was the man who hammered home the leveller, despite the best efforts of Evan Humphries to clear the ball off the line. 

However, it didn’t stay 1-1 for long as Pollock grabbed his second.

This time, the lively Ellis Brown became the creator as he fizzed a cross into City’s talismanic midfielder who duly fired a shot underneath the Goalkeeper. 1-2.

Pollock was a man on fire, and despite the game being young, you wouldn’t have bet against him to grab a hat-trick.

However... to get three goals inside the first-half was exceptional. Even by even his high-standards. 

The goals kept coming, and they kept getting better too. The third was the pièce de résistance.

Pollock, full of confidence took aim from around twenty yards out and found the bottom corner with a sublime strike. 3-1 before the interval. 

The second half was a non-event in hindsight as the game petered out.

Any sign of a fight back from the hosts evaporated with the fourth City goal. 

Josh Ashby’s floated corner was sent into an awkward position and carried into the net by Zac Hadi. However, on second glance, Tyrone Marsh had the finishing touch to send the ball over the line and should be credited with City's fourth goal.

In the end, it could’ve been more. Briar Bateman looked a constant threat and should’ve really followed up his debut goal with another strike that was sent narrowly over the crossbar.

At the other end, Jonny Maxted may as well have paid the admission fee as for the majority of the match he was a spectator. 

However, the dominating Canice Carroll’s only mistake on his first start of the season almost led to a late consolation for the hosts.

However, in true Canice Carroll style, his redemption challenge to deny Glen Taylor was an emphatic block to deny the striker. Superb defending to make up for a rare mishap.

It's a superb win on the road to City who rise to second in Enterprise National League North. 

Nobody’s looking at the table yet though, but three wins in four and an unbeaten run can’t be sniffed at.

The MGroup Stadium should have some atmosphere on Friday night to kick start the Bank Holiday against Buxton. Join us HERE.

Oxford City Starting XI: Maxted, Bloom, Humphries, Ashby, Francillette, Pollock, Tetek (McEachran 73'), Marsh (Taylor 68'), Brown (De Silva 79'), Carroll, Bateman

Subs not Used: Nelson, Njogu, Kauan, Moir,