Oxford City missed out on the chance to go top of the table when they were beaten 3-2 by Buxton at the MGroup Stadium this evening.

Tyrone Marsh’s two second half goals weren't quite enough to complete a spirited comeback as two goals from top scorer Sisa Tuntulwana and a header from captain Kieran Burton gave the Bucks all three points.

City were good in the second half but the flow went only Buxton’s way in the first and the visitors were ahead in the eleventh minute when some enterprising link play and a cross by the elusive Tony Weston from the right left the impressive Tuntulwana with a tap in past the helpless Johny Maxted.

As in their last game, City had conceded the first goal without truly settling against a side who press and close you down. Once again they then began to impose their own style but this time after 28 minutes they were two down and had a Buxton hill to climb when centre half Burton was given too much space in the area to thump his header past the helpless Maxted and double the visitors’ advantage.

Boss Ross Jenkins was unimpressed and will have explained in no uncertain terms that more was needed. His side responded superbly. Josh Ashby was just wide with a free kick, a couple of crosses flew wide of the mark and then on 53 Marsh’s third goal of the season, throwing himself in at the back post to convert his third of the season got City firmly back into the game.

The same player then thrashed a chance against the post, having engineered the opportunity all by himself, as City threw all they had at Buxton in pursuit of a leveller. It left then vulnerable to the Buxton Spring and that chance was to prove pivotal..

After 81 minutes that openness was punished as Tuntulwana raced away down the left with defenders trailing in his wake. The striker fired across Maxted who got a glove to the shot, but the ball found the bottom right corner and City’s comeback was all but over.

Marsh tucked away a 98th minute goal, his fourth of the season, to make it 3-2 but it proved too little too late.

No lack of effort and the width of a post away from a memorable comeback. First defeat of the season, Now it's all abut the response....

CITY

Maxted, Bloom, Humphries, Francillette, Carroll, Tetek (Taylor 77), Ashby, Pollock, Bateman (Nelson 73), Brown (McEachran 80), Marsh

SUBS

Potter, Njogu, Kauan, Moir

Att: 1,164

Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels