Oxford City’s streak without a win on the road came to an end in Enterprise National League North with an important 2-1 win away at Worksop Town. 

Forget Chocolates and flowers… Superb goals from Josh Parker and Josh Ashby secured the Hoops a crucial win away from home on Valentine's Day.. 

Not even Aleks Starcenko’s late concelation could break City hearts as the Hoops secured the sweetest of wins to break a streak of 320 days without a win on the road.

Ross Jenkins tweaked formation heading into the match to a 4-4-2, reverting to a striking partnership of Josh Parker and Callum McFarlane, as the Hoops looked to end a two-match run without a goal. 

Youngster and Velocity Academy graduate Caleb Moir made it into the Senior squad for the first time after impressing in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup win over Oxford United on Tuesday evening. 

The first half was a cagey affair. Despite Worksop’s recent resurgence both team’s battled for the ball in a half that yielded two notable chances. 

Firstly, Ashby’s curled effort from the edge of the box was expertly palmed away from the bottom corner by ‘keeper Lewis Forshaw. 

Then, a collision with Jonny Maxted allowed Worksop a chance to hit the ball into an empty net but Aaron Harper-Bailey was alert to the danger to drop back onto his line to clear. 

Half-Time: Worksop 0-0 Oxford City 

The second-half saw The Hoops come out of the traps brightly. but again the game remained an extremely tight affair.

Jonny Maxted made a heroic save seven minutes after the break to claw away Lewis Whitham’s curled effort into the top corner. 

A moment of class or a mistake seemed to be the only likelihood of a goal between two astute teams. 

That proved to be the case. In fact, it was both of the above that led to all three goals in the game. 

Firstly, the class. 

The deadline was broken in the 73rd minute by Josh Parker. A throw-in was taken and the City Striker was too strong for his marker, holding him off before rifling a shot into the bottom corner. 0-1 City. 

That seemed to wake up Worksop, but as they searched for a leveller, Josh Ashby upped the ante. 

From range the City skipper tried his luck… and it paid off. 

A shot from 25-yards out dipped and curled round Forshaw and nestled into the net sending the travelling fans into raptures before he celebrated with the hardy travelling contingent of 25 loyal Hoops. 

But Oxford City don’t do things the easy way (you should be used to that now). 

The mistake came from Evan Humphries, who after driving forward with the ball, gave it away and allowed Worksop to drive down the right wing. The ball found its way to Aleks Starcenko who supplied the finishing touch from outside the box to set up a nervy ending on 88’.

The hosts threw the kitchen sink as City and were inches away from dramatically levelling when substitute Josh Wilde fired a fizzing effort just wide of the post. 

However, as Worksop raised their game, so did Ross Jenkins’ side. The backline and midfield chased every man and expertly dug in to deny any chance of a heart-breaking leveller… 

City almost snatched a third on the counter when Tom Scott was sent through on goal deep into added time, but instead of taking the ball into the corner he forced another good save by the legs of Forshaw. 

The final whistle ended City’s barren run on the road, but the win almost feels bigger than the three points.

That’s all they are though, and although City remain in the bottom four, they gain precious ground on the teams in and around them in the mire. 

Attendance: 627

Oxford City Starting XI: Maxted, Ashby, Harper-Bailey, Bearne (Roddy 90+3’), McFarlane (Scott 85’), Wiggett, Parker, Potter (Sturridge 72’), Burroughs, Humphries, Humphrey-Ewers

Subs not used: Wilson, Moir, Ellis, Daniel.