Oxford City scrapped their way to a point with a 0-0 draw at Leamington this afternoon.

A game that neither side could afford to lose turned out to be one that neither could win despite City twice hitting the post and one or two big decisions going against them.

On a heavy pitch, heroically prepared by the home staff after torrential rain all week, City made the early running with George Burroughs, who went to school in Leamington, firing in a dangerous cross in the opening seconds and Solihull loanee Callum McFarlane looking lively up front.

The home side took the pitch out of the equation much of the time, forcing keeper Jonny Maxted into a first save after 17 scrappy minutes, but the best chance came City’s way after 25 minutes when Alfie Potter clipped the ball for Jacob Roddy who volleyed against the left-hand post post with the ball coming back, hitting keeper Ravenhill and sneaking the wrong side of the post.

City’s (fully justified) loud shouts for handball in the box were waved away just before the break and the second half continued on its edgy way as two sides at the wrong end of the able slugged away at each other without that one moment of quality that would make the difference,

The home side had the better of the first 20 minutes of the second period forcing a change from City as DJ Sturridge’s pace was introduced to test the Brakes. City needed captain Ashby to rescue them with a goaline clearance after 72 minutes but playing down the sizeable slope they might have broken the stalemate a minute later had Ravenhill not bundled Sturridge over as he ran at goal.

That gave Ashby a free kick from 25 yards which he pinged against the right-hand post, a final real opportunity for either side to break the deadlock as they eventually cancelled each other out.

No shortage of honesty and commitment but a point that ultimately leaves both teams frustrated.

CITY
Maxted, Burroughs, Wiggett, Harper-Bailey, Roddy, Humphrey-Ewers, Ashby, Scott (Sturridge 66), Bearne ((Daniel 83), McFarlane, Potter

SUBS

Wilson, Parker, Humphries, McConnell, Bitencourt De Oliveira

Att: 608

Report by Chris Williams, pictures Darrell Fisher