OCFC 1-3 Bashley

A warm afternoon perhaps better suited to the cricket in The Parks than football saw already-crowned champions Bashley make a second visit of the season to CPF, and they were applauded onto the field through a tunnel of City players.
The early exchanges suggested that, whilst they would still be a tough nut to crack, the visitors, with all the hard work of the season now behind them, might not be going all out for the victory and it was the City who fashioned out the better chances, and Stacey Harper was the busier keeper in the first half.
Early on an Alex Stewart cross was nodded just wide by Mark Janes and then Liam Malone, who had a very busy game, shot just wide. City were unlucky not to take the lead after 13 minutes when, given some space, Stewart hit a fine shot only to see it cannon off Harper’s right-hand post; and Jim Griffin went close to the same post five minutes later.
Gavin Lane and Omar Takriti, who seem to have quickly struck up a sound understanding, were keeping the Bashley forwards under control and it wasn’t until the half-hour mark that high-scoring Richard Gillespie fired into the advertising boards with the defence standing off. Almost immediately the play moved to the other end and Lee Rendell put in Kevin Chakaodza who beat Harper but pushed his shot just beyond the far post. Five minutes later the same player was through onto an accurate pass from Malone but he hesitated and the chance evaporated.
With five minutes of the half remaining a teasing cross from Mark Janes, who has been making the transition from Youth team with some assurance, caused uncertainty in the Bashley defence and Josh Thomas headed against his own post.
As the clock ran down Bashley won their first corner of the game, which was punched clear by Wilkins, and then showed why they have been such a dangerous side this year as Castle and Davis combined swiftly to deliver a cross that Neil Morant headed just over.

HALF-TIME City 0-0 Bashley

City continued after the break very much in the same vein. Chakaodza shot just wide of the post after eight minutes of the half, and a minute later had a strong shot parried by Harper just out of the reach of the waiting City players. Alex Stewart then saw one of his trade-mark free-kicks flash past Stacey Harper but just wide of the upright.
From the goal kick a quick build-up and some neat passing put Shaun Hale away on the City right and his rising shot from just inside the area was in the net before Carl Wilkins had time to react, giving Bashley the lead on 57 minutes.
City looked to get back into the game and both Adam Durrant and Lee Rendell had shots that were only a little wide of the target.
Chris Harper came on for Mark Janes, but before he could have any influence on the game City had fallen further behind. A long ball forward bounced high towards the City area and Carl Wilkins was narrowly beaten to the ball by Gillespie who headed over the keeper and into the unguarded net after 79 minutes.
Though the Blues were still getting forward at every opportunity Bashley were testing the home defence more and Ryan Moss had a firm shot pushed behind. Then, with three minutes remaining, Moss got in a shot over Wilkins which hit the bar, Kieran Lewis headed the ball away from the goal-line but Gillespie reacted the quickest and headed the ball back into goal.
Chris Harper had a good run down the right and his cross was met from close in by Alex Stewart but his shot hit the underside of the bar and was cleared to safety, while at the Radcliffe End Hale lobbed Wilkins but saw the ball bounce just the wrong side of the post.
Finally, three minutes into injury time, a cross from the City right eluded attack and defence alike, but Lee Rendell returned the ball for Kevin Chakaodza to head home from close in for a goal that was no more than City deserved.

FULL-TIME Oxford City 1-3 Bashley

City: Wilkins, Durrant, Takriti, Lane (Lewis 84), Avery, Griffin (Ford 68), Janes (Harper 76), Malone, Stewart, Chakaodza, Rendell.
Bashley: Harper, Gazzard, Ferrett, Castle, Thomas, Riley, Hale (Burland 88), Davis, Moss, Gillespie, Morant (Blackwell 45).

City had the better of the first half and plenty of possession in the second, and can feel somewhat hard done by to be on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline. Though seemingly content for much of the match to play within themselves, Bashley showed with their precise finishing why they have done so well this season.
City’s young bloods continue to look promising, and it is to be hoped that Lewis, Janes, Davis, Rendell et al. will continue to be brought on steadily as, handled properly, they will surely be part of a successful City side in seasons to come.