Fleet

Fleet Town arrived this weekend for another of those six-pointers that seem to have become an almost weekly occurrence recently, and this second-place versus third-place confrontation was always likely to be particularly tense.

Unaccustomedly playing towards the Clubhouse in the first-half City were the first on the attack, though without testing Paul Smith in the visitors’ goal, but were hit by an early goal on four minutes as Fleet broke quickly from defence. Salmon fed Nathan Smart who made good ground before hitting a low drive that Steve Smith pushed away for a corner. The deep corner kick found Smart again just outside the area and this time his low shot came back off Smith’s right hand post and fell nicely for Ben Wright to fire home from close quarters.

City came back strongly and for the next twenty minutes were looking the more likely to score the next goal of the game. The strong running of several players, and Michael Lyon in particular, was posing the Fleet defence a few problems. Jon Gardner found himself with room to work on the left but his cross was too close to Smith; Lyon’s dash towards goal was stopped by Smith, and, as the ball span loose, George Redknap lifted the ball just wide of the far post from distance; good close control gave Mark Bell a chance in the area but his shot was smothered; and, with Smith off his line, Gardner’s long-range lob cleared the bar (but was neatly headed back by a spectator!).

Fleet always looked dangerous on the break and Smart produced another shot that had Steve Smith scrambling along his line as the ball just grazed his right-hand post; Simeon Howell created a good chance for himself but scuffed his shot; and Smart had acres of space in which to manoeuvre, as he was found with an accurate cross-field pass from Wright, and his cross into the box was met by an overhead kick from Steve Noakes that went very near to doubling the lead.

On 35 minutes City pulled themselves back into the game. A needless hand-ball by James Field on the edge of the Fleet box produced a free-kick for City that was nodded behind for a corner, and Steve Davis’ near-post corner-kick was hooked home just inside the post by Darren Pond through a crowd of players.

Almost immediately Michael Lyon’s pace and never-say-die attitude saw him reach a ball that the defenders were watching drift over the line for a goal-kick and his pass gave Bell a chance for a shot; and then Lyon almost produced a re-run of his goal against Uxbridge but the back-pedalling Smith just managed to hang on to the on-target shot from wide on the wing.

HALF-TIME: Oxford City 1-1 Fleet Town

The stiffening breeze (gale) was making judgement of high balls tricky and both keepers had to make some rapid readjustments on two or three occasions as the second period got underway.

Fleet were the first to threaten and the ball seemed to spend an eternity in the City box in the early minutes before Andy Gunn’s hefty clearance relieved the pressure. While at the other end Liam Malone, Mark Bell and George Redknap worked hard to create space but eventually lost out to superior defensive numbers.

Jack Smith and James Field were combining well on the Fleet left but the wind had the last word with several crosses. Mark Anderson brought a relatively routine save from Smith, before a low shot from a narrowing angle by Field took the merest of deflections before creeping past Smith’s far post for a corner.

Pressurised by the Fleet midfield City were finding it harder to create chances and the visitors were having the better of the possession around the end of the third quarter, and went within a whisker of regaining the lead on 70 minutes when the lively Field crashed a shot against the bar and in the ensuing scramble it was only a timely offside flag that allowed City to breathe again.

With their substitutes on City pressed forwards again, and twice within five minutes Leon Woodruffe made space for himself cutting in from the left, but seemed unnecessarily reluctant to attempt a shot as the target opened up in front of him. Steve Davis overlapped well but was just unable to pull the ball back far enough, and a deep, dipping cross from Lyon on the run was headed vertically by Jack Smith as he jumped with Alex Stewart but keeper Paul Smith was on hand to tidy up.

So into the last few minutes: the last Fleet substitute had just been thrown into the action and a draw was on the cards. A Red attack on the City left was repulsed, but the ball span clear to James Field some distance out and centrally placed, and his left-footed shot took a big deflection off James Saulsbury and past Smith’s despairing dive.
City threw everyone forward in the hope of a goal and Andy Gunn’s lob into the area was neatly flicked on by Errol Telemaque but Stewart just failed to bring the ball under control and the chance evaporated.

With most blue shirts elsewhere Field drew a good save from Smith, and in the dying seconds Mark Anderson really should have made it three from close range.

FULL-TIME: Oxford City 1-2 Fleet Town

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Davis, Gunn, Pond, Avery, Gardner (Woodruffe 65), Malone, Redknap (Telemaque 75), Lyons, Bell (Stewart 80).

Uxbridge

Posted by ChrisB on March 24, 2008, 10:03 pm

An unseasonable Bank Holiday Monday brought Uxbridge to Court Place Farm for a clash between two sides both in play-off places and looking to consolidate their positions. Uxbridge arrived on the back of a 2-2 draw with league leaders Farnborough; whilst City’s 5-1 win on Saturday would have given them a lift.


Nicholls won the first corner of the game on six minutes and Kevin Warner’s kick caused a few moments of concern before a long clearance picked out Mark Bell on the right and his direct running and pass gave Michael Lyon a chance but his shot was wide of the mark. James Saulsbury cut short a promising run by Warner before moving upfield and delivering a swirling cross that Lyon headed not far beyond the far post.

The newly-signed Louis Wells in the visitors’ goal, whose lengthy kicks are clearly a useful addition to the Uxbridge armoury, had to be quickly out of his area to head clear from George Redknap as he chased a lofted pass; and as Bell turned his marker and raced along the goal-line to hit the ball firmly into the danger area Wells did well to collect the ball at the second attempt.

Around the end of the first quarter City were having the better of the exchanges and carved out two or three excellent chances.

Bell set up Lyon for a run on goal and a shot that was put behind for a corner, from which Andy Gunn produced a goalbound shot that the lunging form of Dave Thomas deflected wide. Gunn had an even clearer chance two minutes later as a free-kick from Saulsbury found him relatively unmarked and close to goal, but there was no time to control the ball and his effort was high. Perhaps the best of the trio of chances fell to Lyon on the half-hour as his pace took him through on goal but a momentary hesitation gave Dave Thomas just enough time to get in a second vital block in the space of five minutes. The resulting corner saw Weedon’s comradely slap on the back propel Gunn into the post; and two other corners in rapid succession gave City the opportunity to maintain pressure and Uxbridge’s captain, Mark Nicholls, more chance to discuss the theoretical basis for those decisions with referee Mr Perry.

The visitors bounced back and won two corners of their own which Nicholls delivered well into the danger area, before a long-ball forward produced an underpowered nod back to his keeper by Ian Dickens which George Redknap intercepted but couldn’t quite capitalise upon.
The half ended with Uxbridge’s Neville Roach drawing an important tackle from Mark Avery, and Steve Smith, under pressure from James Mann, still getting good distance with his punched clearance from Nicholls’ corner.

Half-Time: City 0-0 Uxbridge

Within the opening ten minutes of the second half City had produced another three respectable chances. Bell, Lyon and Redknap all found themselves with room, and the ball, inside the Uxbridge area and all three saw their shots pass identically just past Wells’ right-hand post.

Steve Davis recovered well at the back to clear from Roach as Uxbridge fought back; and a perceptive cross-field pass from Dickens gave Mark Boyce plenty of time to compose himself but his cross was overhit. Boyce’s next venture forward was more productive as Avery put the ball behind, and Warner’s well-struck corner to the far post was met by the unmarked Weedon who, to the great relief of the home side, put his header well-wide of the target.

Just on the hour City went ahead. A good change of point of attack saw the ball switched to the left where Liam Malone, possibly looking for a shot, heeded Darren Pond’s call for the ball, and Pond’s shot, with the outside of his right foot, curled away from Wells, stationary on his line, and into the goal off the upright.

Mark Bell had another chance as he cut in from the left, but a defender’s boot took some pace off his shot and Wells gathered comfortably.

Uxbridge were gradually increasing the pressure. Boyce raced onto another of Wells’ howitzer-like clearances and Gunn did well to head clear; and then a cross from Thomas found Roach near the penalty-spot rising above the defence to power in a great header that looked certain to be the equaliser until Smith leapt high to his right to push the ball behind: surely a leading contender for save-of-the-season. The reprieve was, however, short-lived as Mann headed the resulting corner across Smith and into the far corner to restore equality on 71 minutes.

Almost immediately Uxbridge substitute Drake lined up his shot as he was faced with a retreating defence, but sliced his shot well wide of the target.

With 15 minutes left Wells chose to leave his area and follow a ball out to his right-hand touchline but his attempted clearance was charged down by the airborne Leon Woodruffe and the ball fell to Lyon who turned and, from well outside the penalty box, promptly curled the ball into the net with Wells a long way short of regaining his ground.

The Reds threw men forward to try and snatch a point and Thomas had a rising shot just clear Smith’s bar after a clearing header fell at his feet.

Woodruffe and Redknap did well to hold the ball up for a few precious minutes near the corner flag as time ran down; while Josias Carbon’s strong run through the centre almost took him clear as the end approached.

Finally an edgy game reached an edgy conclusion after two extra minutes with Woodruffe and Drake not quite seeing eye-to-eye after the whistle, and Nicholls rushing from the field to amuse supporters and committee members alike with his witty and insightful comments.

Full-Time: Oxford City 2-1 Uxbridge

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Davis, Gunn, Pond, Avery, Gardner (Woodruffe 66), Malone, Redknap, Lyon (Romeo 78), Bell (Carbon 81).

Hayes

Posted by ChrisB on March 22, 2008, 9:38 pm

The first day of Spring saw AFC Hayes and snow showers descend on Court Place Farm this afternoon with City looking to bounce back from two successive defeats.

The Hoops looked lively from the start and Kieron Jimmy in the visitors’ goal had to stretch to punch the ball clear as Jon Gardner got his head to a cross from James Saulsbury in the third minute; while in an early attack for Hayes Dean Clark shot straight at Steve Smith after the City defence were slow to clear a long ball.

After only five minutes, though, City moved in front as another high ball into the Hayes area was headed clear by Sean James, but only as far as Michael Lyon on the edge of the box who met the awkwardly bouncing ball well and sent a dipping volley beyond a stationary Jimmy.
It was looking as though the ten day’s respite from matches had given the City players a renewed edge as they were keeping the visitors’ defence penned in the final third, and on eleven minutes Lyon was given room to run on the right and his efforts won a corner. Mark Bell’s well-flighted kick was flicked on by Andy Gunn and Darren Pond headed home.
The home players had their tails up now and Steve Davis got in on the act, bursting through on the left to produce a shot that Jimmy parried, juggled and eventually held, before the insistent pressure produced a third goal after 17 minutes. George Redknap spotted Lyon’s run and produced an accurate pass inside the defender for Lyon to collect and finish confidently beyond the keeper’s left-hand.

The Hayes attacks were generally being dealt with efficiently by a back line that now seems to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses well, and twice as Danny Jordan and Clark drew diving saves from Smith first Saulsbury and then Davis were in close attendance to clear the danger.

On twenty minutes Hayes had a good chance to pull something back as a run by Clark eventually drew a foul from Pond in a potentially dangerous position right on the edge of the penalty area, but Clark cleared wall, goal and clubhouse with his kick.

Five minutes later and Bell won a corner after some neat footwork on the right and as the ball came across from his kick Jimmy was a little late off his line and Gunn placed his header just beneath the bar for goal number four.

The pace slackened a little for a while after this avalanche of goals but as the half was nearing its close Jon Gardner brought two saves from the keeper and Mark Bell hit a terrific shot that unfortunately was straight at Jimmy.

In the final action of the half Jordan came very close to reducing the deficit in a crowded area, but his shot was some scrambled clear, and Ashley Cook pulled up sharply just as he forced his way into a good shooting position.

Half-Time: Oxford City 4-0 AFC Hayes

After the excitement and goals of the first forty-five minutes it was perhaps to be expected that the second period was a little flatter, but City came close to extending their lead early on as an accurate free-kick by Bell produced a solid header from Gunn that Jimmy did well to push behind, and then a shot from Gardner was parried by Jimmy, but just beyond Liam Malone waiting by the far post.

Jordan had a good chance at the other end but pushed his shot wide and Saulsbury pulled out a great last-ditch tackle as Charlery threatened to race clear.

Hayes pulled one back just after the hour when a loose ball reached James and he finished well with a right-foot shot across Smith and into the far corner of the net.

The visitors were reduced to ten men for the final twenty minutes when Charlery left the field with all three substitutes already used, and then City’s substitute, the returning Alex Stewart, was fouled on the edge of the box to give Bell a chance to bend the ball around the wall for Jimmy to save low-down by the post.

It looked as though the home side had won a penalty as Stewart went to ground under the ministrations of two defenders, though player and supporters were equally perplexed when he got to his feet only to be welcomed by a yellow card from Mr Bate.

As time ran out two penetrating runs from Jon Gardner on the City left caused defensive problems for Hayes. The first produced a ball into the area that just flicked Yashwa Romeo – with Stewart perhaps better placed just beyond him – and scuttled past the far post. The second, with time up on the clock, was finished by a ball hit low into the box for Bell to crash his shot high into the net giving City a well-deserved fifth goal.

Full-Time: Oxford City 5-1 AFC Hayes.

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Davis, Gunn, Pond (Romeo 66), Avery, Gardner, Malone, Redknap, Lyon (Stewart 66), Bell.

Godalming

Posted by ChrisB on March 8, 2008, 8:47 pm

Not for the first time in recent weeks a gusting wind made the high ball something of a lottery and as early as the first minute the visitors benefited as a bouncing ball spun loose to a yellow shirt but Andy Gunn was alive to the problem and made a good saving tackle on Chris Wales.
As City moved into attack they were often faced with line of five across the back of the Godalming defence, and it was Steve Davis who tested keeper Matt Mann first for the home side from a free-kick.
It was Godalming who were getting the better chances in the first quarter, though. Wales pushed a shot wideas the ball fell to him in the area; Mark Avery got in a good block as Graeme Purdy teed up his shot; Steve Smith beat away a well-struck effort from Brahim Elouhmani; and the same player held his head in his hands after an aggressive run at a retreating defence ended with his low drive crashing back into play off Smith’s left-hand post.
City were finding themselves closed down quickly in midfield but at the end of the first quarter Michael Lyon spun well off his marker and slid a pass through to Yashwa Romeo who was fouled on the edge of the box. Steve Davis’ free-kick was parried upwards and onto the bar by Mann and eventually behind for a corner.
The visitors, belying their unremarkable record of only two wins on their travels this season, continued to test the City defence and on the half-hour Elouhmani was again given too much space, but chose to shoot from distance when he might have done better to have taken the ball on further. Five minutes later though Town moved in front when a sliced clearance was returned from the City left to the far post and Purdy’s leap just beat Smith and his header found the far corner of the net.
Godalming had their tails up and twice went close in the next five minutes. Purdy released Elouhmani and just failed to get on the end of the return pass; and then Haddad picked out Elouhmani whose headed pass was struck straight at Smith by James Mariner from ten yards.
City gave themselves a lifeline with five minutes of the half remaining when Lyon won a tackle in midfield and Romeo raced onto his pass to finish well with a precise shot across Mann and into the net.
Just as the queue for the bacon rolls was beginning to form Godalming pulled themselves back in front as captain Richard Taylor stole a few yards for a throw-in on City’s left flank and his long throw seemed to catch the home defence flat-footed as Purdy jumped and back-headed the ball over Smith and beneath the bar.
And matters almost got even worse as another projectile from Taylor found Elouhmani in the area and his shot on the turn was only just smothered at the base of the post by Smith.

HALF-TIME: Oxford City 1-2 Godalming Town

A long cross from James Saulsbury gave Lyon a chance soon after the break, but his shot was scrambled away quickly and worked to Elouhmani whose run on goal was stopped at the last moment by a fine tackle from Mark Avery; and Andy Gunn had to time his tackle to perfection five minutes later as Purdy broke through.
Jon Gardner, on in place of Steve Davis for his first game for several weeks, hit a long pass that Lyon controlled well on the run and sprinted on to play the ball in for Romeo by the near post, but his strike span up and was eventually cleared to safety.
Darren Pond battled hard around the top of the Town box and got Mark Bell in to win a corner, and Andy Gunn was only a few inches away at the far post from converting the subsequent cross.
And Gunn was in action at the other end moments later when he and Elouhmani battled for a high, bouncing ball, but, having won the tussle, the striker cleared the stand from close range.
The final ten minutes saw City press hard for an equaliser, but attacks foundered on a very solid and uncompromising defence, and the closest that they came to a breakthrough was from two Gardner free-kicks. The first gave Bell a chance, but his strike cannoned of a defender to safety, and the second found Mann well positioned to save.

FULL-TIME: Oxford City 1-2 Godalming Town

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Woodruffe, Gunn, Pond, Avery, Bell (Carbon 85), Malone (Redknap 70), Romeo, Lyon, Davis (Gardner 60).

City came up against an experienced and well-drilled defence today, and found it difficult to create any really clear-cut opportunities and could probably have no real complaints about the outcome.
An interesting match in prospect on Tuesday in the Senior Cup, before a break of ten days and then three home league games in seven days that could go a long way towards shaping the final appearance of the division.

Winchester

Posted by ChrisB on March 1, 2008, 8:18 pm

Not having defeated Winchester at the Denplan Stadium previously, Oxford were looking for a change of fortune in this battle of the Cities this afternoon as they strived to continue in a winning vein.
A bright sun and a strong end-to-end wind made it hard to judge the ball in the air; and a rather irregular pitch made close-control on the ground difficult as well, and, perhaps because of these factors, the match seemed to be peppered with minor errors that constantly interrupted the flow of the game.
The visitors were the first to press and Yashwa Romeo and Errol Telemaque combined well to get Mark Bell behind the defence but the angle proved too narrow for him to convert the chance. Mike Lyon put Leon Woodruffe away on the left and he made large inroads into the Winchester half before brought up short by a foul: Telemaque’s free-kick caused momentary worries, but finally faded past the far post.
The Blues edged ahead after nine minutes as Bell raced on to a through-ball from Liam Malone and took the ball almost to the goal-line before squaring it to Yashwa Romeo. His right-foot flick seemed to catch keeper Clint Davies off balance and the ball rolled home to give the visitors the lead.
Winchester looked to get back on terms and a well-delivered free-kick from Adam Lang required a hasty clearance from Lyon as red shirts descended on the far post. A minute later an uncustomary slip by Mark Avery allowed Sam Lockyer to advance on goal and Woodruffe had to be inch-perfect to sweep the ball away as Lockyer lined up a shot. Stuart Hussey was the next to threaten as he worked himself into a shooting position, but Darren Pond reacted quickly and took the ball to safety.
Play swung to the other end in the last ten minutes of the session and several half-chances came Oxford’s way. Malone was fouled 25 yards out and Tellemaque’s accurate ball into the area was back-headed goalwards by Andy Gunn - but straight at Davies. A deep wind-assisted cross from Woodruffe had Davies back-pedalling nervously – but the ball landed on the roof of the net; and Pond set up Malone in a good position on the edge of the box – but the shot was just off-target.

HALF-TIME: Winchester City 0-1 Oxford City

A misjudgement by Gunn early in the second period allowed Adam Grey a clear sight of goal from a good position, but his hurried shot was wide. Lang then tested Steve Smith from distance, but the attempt was held cleanly and, in fact, a fine throw from Smith gave Woodruffe a clear run on the left flank, but support was just too late arriving when the cross was delivered.
A good ball into the box from Malone saw Romeo just unable to turn his marker; and Telemaque and Bowler incurred a lecture from Mr Robinson after a frank exchange of views between the players when the Oxford man felt he had been unfairly held off a ball that was rolling slowly behind for a goal-kick. (Why are defenders never pulled up for obstruction in those circumstances??)
Steve Davis, on as a substitute, immediately had two good runs on the left and produced crosses that were scrambled away by defenders, and Telemaque came a close second to Davies in a race for a ball over the back-four.
Winchester were putting more men forward as time slipped away and there were some nail-biting moments among the Oxford following as normally reliable defenders seemed to become very ragged for a few minutes. Dave Allen missed the target from one good chance, and then couldn’t believe his luck as Gunn lifted a goalbound effort from under the bar, and both Paul Taplin and Adam Lang should have tied the match up when finding themselves with the ball at their feet and the goal at their mercy.
This belated all-out push for a goal left Winchester unsurprisingly short-staffed at the back and in the final minutes it was the visitors who came the closer to scoring the second goal of the game. Mark Jones released Lyon to cut along the goal-line and see his cross nudged behind for a corner; Jones a few minutes later again put Lyon away, down the centre of the pitch this time, but the combination of two defenders was eventually sufficient to muscle him off the ball at the expense of another corner. And with nigh on the last passage of play of the match Davis picked up a pass from Lyon to fire home past Davies: unfortunately from an off-side position.

FULL-TIME: Winchester City 0-1 Oxford City

Winchester City: Davies, Wilson, Lang, George (Allen 57), Bowler, Llewellyn, Carter (Jacob 71), McEnery (Gregory 63), Hussey, Grey, Lockyer.
Oxford City: Smith, Saulsbury, Woodruffe, Gunn, Pond, Avery, Telemaque (Redknap 85), Malone, Romeo (Jones 72), Lyon, Bell (Davis 72).

Newport IOW

Posted by ChrisB on February 27, 2008, 3:28 pm

With the disappointing return of only two points from the last four matches hanging over them, it was important that City regained some lost momentum and got their promotion-bid back on track. Having held City to a 1-1 draw on the Island, and recording their first home win of the season last Saturday, the visitors might have harboured hopes of making a nonsense of the points-gap between the two sides.
The home side made their intentions clear from the kick-off when, within the first 30 seconds, Leon Woodruffe’s pass released Mark Bell on the left and his lofted pass was met by Darren Pond whose left-footed shot beat Sam Webb in the Newport goal but curled just beyond the far post.
In fact the first five minutes saw several chances come in rapid succession for City. A Bell cross picked out Mark Jones at the far post, but his header was blocked by a defender; Mike Lyon rolled a pass into Errol Telemaque’s path and his accurate shot was well saved by Webb at the expense of a corner; an interchange of passes between Lyon and Telemaque saw the latter pull his shot wide; and Lyon hit the side-netting from a very narrow angle. Mark Lilley at the other end latched on to a misplaced pass from Woodruffe, but was quickly closed down by Avery before he could take advantage. But after all this pressure, it came as no great surprise when City took the lead in the ninth minute.
Jones held the ball up well on the right and played it back for Andy Gunn to loop a high cross into the box where the ball was missed by Telemaque and a defender jumping together in front of Webb who, unsighted, failed to gather the ball and Mark Bell, using his head in more ways than one, stooped low to nod the ball gently home.
The half continued in this vein throughout with City generally in command of the midfield and probing well on both flanks, whilst the visitors were clearly defending resolutely in numbers, intent on damage limitation, and hoping that a quick break from defence might catch the City defence cold.
A clever free-kick routine allowed Telemaque to lift a ball to Gunn at the far post with the defenders expecting a shot, but Webb saved well at the foot of the post; a foul on Liam Malone gave City a free-kick twenty yards out and Telemaque’s precise shot drew a fine low save from Webb.
Around the end of the first quarter Newport ventured forward a little more, and, after a patient build-up, Richard Moore found himself in space and faced with a retreating defence but pondered too long on the options, and the chance was gone.
Webb, who was being kept busy and generally performing very well, was at fault, however, on the half-hour when he misjudged a ball into the area from Pond, allowing Bell to take it past him only to see his shot rebound from the post.
As the half reached it conclusion a quickly taken free-kick from Jones to Malone produced an opening for Pond, but he snatched at the shot and cleared the bar; and then Bell, put through by a ball over the top beat Webb with a good shot that just failed to curl inside the far post.

Half-Time: City 1-0 Newport

From the restart a flowing move saw long crossfield pass pick out Mark Jones whose pass down the line set Telemaque free in acres of space but his cross was gathered by Webb at the second attempt.
In the lively first-half the home side had created plenty of chances, but they struggled in the second period to really take command and put the result beyond doubt, with Webb comfortably dealing with a succession of high crosses into his territory from various parts of the field.
Lyon just missed the target after some good footwork on the edge of the box, while Telemaque was close to beating Webb to a bouncing ball over the top and was then just offside as he raced into an inviting space between the back-four and the keeper.
Lilley seemed surprised at the Clubhouse End to find himself with time on the ball and pulled his shot wide, and with ten minutes left Saunders had by far the best chance to square matters but, after some neat footwork, shot weakly at Smith.
With two minutes left a through ball finally produced a clear run on goal for a City player, and substitute Yashwa Romeo accelerated away from a last-ditch tackle to finish calmly and deliberately beyond Webb.

Full-Time: Oxford City 2-0 Newport (IoW)

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Woodruffe, Gunn, Pond, Avery, Jones, Malone, Lyon (Redknap 72), Telemaque (Romeo 72), Bell.

Newport: Webb, Woodford (Squib 57), Bailey (Tigwell 30), Lewis, Mann, Lewis, Bartlett, Moore, Saunders, Lilley (Thomas 84), Zamitt.

Three points then; and now just one point covers the top four. The clubs around us all have games in hand, so it’s going to be a long, hard two months to the end of the season. But could we really expect anything different?
A goodly number of chances in the first half, but really rather unconvincing after the break, and a feeling among many watching from the sidelines that more of a passing-game, rather than the long-ball over the top, might have been more successful in unlocking a packed and determined defence.
Still, isn’t this when managers say, “it wasn’t pretty, but it was three points”? And certainly there have been, and will be, times when City play much better but don’t win.

Paulton Rovers

Posted by ChrisB on February 24, 2008, 4:35 pm

Both sides went into this match on the back of a defeat by Farnborough and were looking for points to get their promotion-push back on track.
City were the quicker into attack on an unusually dry and sandy pitch for this time of the year that made control difficult for much of the afternoon, and the combination of Errol Tellemaque and home-debutant Michael Lyon looked very lively. Tellemaque hooked a cross from Mark Bell wide of the mark early on before Lyon shot past the post after linking well with Tellemaque.
Dan Cleverley chanced his luck from distance, but didn’t test Steve Smith; and Rob Claridge broke through but was pulled up by an off-side flag, before Lyon sidefooted a pass from Tellemaque just wide of the post with keeper Dave Dyson beaten.
On seventeen minutes an on-target shot from Tellemaque was pushed behind for the first corner of the afternoon and a good delivery from Bell produced a brief period of head-tennis before a looping header from Darren Pond cleared Dyson and dropped into the net via the post. Vehement protests for offside against Pond were waved away by Mr Shilston and City had their noses in front.
City continued to press strongly. Lyon was just offside when chasing a defence-splitting pass from George Redknap; Lyon picked out Tellemaque at the far post with a fine long pass which Dyson did well to claim as the City striker tried to bring the ball under control; and Tellemaque had the ball in the net from a position that looked less offside than Pond’s, but which drew a flag.
At the clubhouse end Ricky Hulbert’s pass to Pete Shepherd, ominously unmarked near goal, lacked accuracy and was well dealt with by Mark Avery, and Andy Gunn did well to react sharply and clear the danger when Paulton’s first corner of the game around the half-hour mark bobbled invitingly around the penalty-box. Claridge was again foiled by the assistant’s flag as he broke clear, and Hulbert’s curling shot from the edge of the box was not too wide of the mark.
As the half slipped towards the break some of the play had become a little more ‘physical’. Tellemaque was on the receiving end of two back-to-back overzealous tackles, the second, from Peckham, after the whistle for a free-kick to City had already sounded, and his retaliation, when an unnecessary number of players from both sides promptly became involved, drew a red-card from the referee after lengthy discussions with both his assistants. Mark Bell put the resultant free-kick just over the bar.

HALF-TIME: City 1-0 Paulton

Hulbert went close with a low shot as the second half got under way while good skills allowed Liam Malone to create a shooting opportunity for himself but his left-footed strike faded past the far post.
Hulbert drew a good save from Smith and then headed wide from a corner minutes later.
15 minutes into the half and the visitors built an attack on the City right and as pressure grew in the City box Marshall went down under a tackle from James Saulsbury and Mr Shilston had little hesitation in pointing to the spot for a fairly clear-cut penalty. Cue further extended disagreement between players of both sides, culminating in the dismissal of Hulbert, presumably for dissent. After all the fuss had subsided Claridge fired home an almost inch-perfect penalty past Smith’s right hand, and as the half developed further both sides had chances to grab all three points.
A tantalising free-kick by Ben Cleverley gave Claridge a chance for a header on goal, but Smith held it cleanly, and Leon Woodruffe, on for Steve Davis, produced a great saving tackle as Sheppard bore down on goal. A few minutes later and Woodruffe almost became the hero at the other end as he cut in from the left and produced a stinging shot that Dyson did well to push away as it almost beat him at the near post.
With time running out Pond broke through the back-four but fired over; Steve Smith got his fingertips to a tremendous header from Sheppard to keep City in the game, and then was quick off his line to cut out a probing cross from Danny Boys.
As the game crept into injury time City went closest to making the decisive breakthrough. Mark Jones found Lyon in the penalty area and he turned in the tightest of spaces to crack a great shot against the base of Dyson’s right-hand post, and a minute later Yashwa Romeo, from a very similar position, curled his shot just beyond the same post.

FULL-TIME: Oxford City 1-1 Paulton Rovers

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Davis (Woodruffe 81), Gunn, Pond, Avery, Tellemaque, Redknap (Jones 85), Lyon, Bell (Romeo 70).

Rovers: Dyson, Marshall, Boys, Hulbert, Peckham, Cousins, Cleverley B, Harrington (Jefferies 57), Claridge, Cleverley D., Sheppard.

Rather a bad-tempered match at times, but it saw City take a point whilst Fleet and Farnborough took none. The home side probably had the better chances to take all the points, but were always going to find it hard with only ten men for half the match.
City now face Newport (IOW) on Tuesday evening. The visitors will be in optimistic mood having gained their first home win on Saturday - 1-0 against Winchester whom we travel to play next Saturday.

WCOB & B

Posted by ChrisB on February 13, 2008, 1:52 pm

On a chilly evening Court Place Farm welcomed a team with one of the longest names in football in the Quarter-Final of the Senior Cup. The visitors had pulled off the surprise of the previous round in beating Carterton, and would be looking to improve upon their previous appearance at CPF in the competition when, in a previous incarnation (without Bletchingdon), they lost 1-4 in 1999.
City were taking no chances in underestimating the opposition, putting out a side similar to that fielded against Didcot on Saturday, and attacked from the start.
In the early minutes a deep Mark Jones cross was just too high for Steve Davis at the back post, and then Jones tried a shot that, catching a defender, produced a corner that Andy Gunn headed just off-target.
City edged in front after ten minutes, though, when Darren Pond drew a mistimed tackle as he burst into the box, and James Saulsbury calmly sent the keeper the wrong way with an inch-perfect penalty into the bottom corner. George Redknap was sent sprawling as he closed in on goal in the next attack and he and the supporters seemed somewhat bemused that this failed to bring a repeat response from Mr Coggins.
Five minutes later and a bad tackle, which remarkably went relatively unpunished, left Ricky Allaway needing hospital treatment to a leg injury. With a head injury producing premature departure from the match at Bridgwater ten days ago he must be wondering ruefully about the wisdom of his recent move to City!
Too many passes were falling short of their intended targets for City, and the visitors came close to tying the game up on 22 minutes when a deflected clearance from Mark Avery fell to Richard Wells with only Steve Smith to beat. His shot was on target, but lacked power, and Smith did well to get down and save with his right hand while Gunn ensured no second chance came.
City continued to press and there was a stream of crosses into the area but they were generally dealt with efficiently by Chris Douglas in the visitors’ goal, or fell unhelpfully for the attackers.
The second goal arrived just on the half-hour as good work between Liam Malone and Yashwa Romeo produced confusion in the penalty area and a half-hit clearance fell nicely to Mark Bell fifteen yards out whose shot took the merest of deflections before beating Douglas’ left-hand.
As the half continued the Blues continued to produce chances. Redknap headed a Bell cross just too high; Gunn had a goalbound effort kicked off the line; and Romeo’s curling shot just failed to curl enough to take it inside the post.
City hearts were in their mouths for a few seconds as a shot from Wells took a wicked bounce immediately in front of Smith and spun off his arm … and behind for a corner. And with the last move of the half Romeo was fouled on the edge of the penalty area but Douglas held on well to Bell’s free-kick.

HALF-TIME Oxford City 2-0 WCOB & B

The second half started with Douglas doing well to parry a shot from Bell, and even better to keep out Pond’s effort from the rebound.
The visitors pressed hard for a while but tight defending from the back-four saved Smith from being troubled.
At the Clubhouse End a swift exchange of passes with Redknap released Jones for a run; he drew the last defender before putting Romeo clear, but his finish lacked power.
On 54 minutes a typically determined run by Malone gave him a shooting chance that was parried by Douglas, but this time relief for the defence was short-lived as Redknap finished tidily from ten yards.
Ian Roper entered the fray in place of Romeo and was immediately freed by Jones to bear down on goal, and only a fine tackle by Warburton saved the day. Two minutes later and an even better tackle, from Boone this time, halted Roper’s progress at the last moment.
As time wore on the extra fitness of the City players was proving important and breakaway attacks from WCOB were becoming fewer and farther between.
Bell drew (another) fine save from Douglas; Roper came off a close second in a race for the ball with the keeper; Fletcher just swept the ball away from Redknap after Douglas spilled a cross; and Douglas left Pond shaking his head in surprise as he pulled off (yet another) goal-denying save.
With officials and supporters checking their watches City completed the evening’s scoring. Firstly Bell accepted a Steve Davis pass and cut in from the left to produce an unstoppable shot from just outside the area; and, almost from the restart, Mark Janes shot was pushed only as far as Roper who made it five from close in.

FULL-TIME Oxford City 5-0 Worcester College Old Boys and Bletchingdon.

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Avery, Allaway (Bell 15), Pond, Gunn, Jones, Malone (Janes 62), Redknap, Romeo (Roper 58), Davis.
WCOB & B: Douglas, Boone, Warburton, Fletcher, Grossman, Gubbins, Faulkner, Wells R., Parker-Hunt, Franklin, Wells S.

So a win for City in one of those ‘no-win’ situations, but a positive result tempered by a number of worrying injuries – Allaway (leg), Malone (facial cut), Janes (leg?), Roper (hamstring?) – ahead of Saturday’s visit to Farnborough.

Didcot Town

Posted by ChrisB on February 9, 2008, 10:10 pm

A fantastic early spring day heralded the arrival of the biggest crowd (517) at Court Place Farm for a league match for more than 10 years, with scarves very definitely being worn for effect rather than warmth.
City had a splendid chance to go ahead almost before the stragglers had left the clubhouse. Yashwa Romeo broke speedily onto a Woodruffe pass on the left and managed to keep control of the ball as Didcot keeper Michael Watkins raced out to tackle him outside the area. A pinpoint cross was met by the head of Darren Pond but the ball passed just outside the post with Watkins racing to regain his ground.
The next ten minutes or so saw Didcot taking control of midfield and pushing up onto the City back four. Josh Mulvany’s shot failed to trouble Steve Smith, and a well-crafted move involving Mulvany and Liam Hope ended with Andy Williams needing too long to line up a shot from a very dangerous position around the penalty spot.
Errol Tellemaque was proving lively for City, and a fine cross-field pass found Mark Bell whose cross was headed just too high by Yashwa Romeo.
Mark Avery needed to put in an important chance-stopping clearance from a dangerous cross from Jamie Heapy, but City were coming into the game a little more, though with a large gap developing sometimes between the midfield and the front-runners. George Redknap held the ball up well and fed Romeo, but his snap-shot lacked the necessary power to beat Watkins. Romeo was into action again almost immediately when he chased down a bouncing through pass from Liam Malone but went down with two defenders in close attendance before he could get his shot away. Half-hearted appeals for a penalty were (correctly, I think) rejected by Mr Bird.
Tellemaque again did well to reach Bell with a raking pass, and his low drive across the box just needed a touch to edge City in front: but none came.
Ashley Vine battled well to win a corner for the visitors, but, from the resulting kick Witt failed to hit the target. Heapy surged forward on the Didcot right, but his cross was marginally too high for his target-men.
Tellemaque twice caused problems in the Didcot defence as time ran out. Firstly with a powerful drive across Watkins and beyond the far post; and then with a volleyed shot that Watkins held cleanly.
In the final minute of the half Avery, again, recovered well to break down a Didcot attack at the expense of a corner, which Andy Parrott headed firmly into the stand.

HALF-TIME: City 0-0 Didcot

City started the second period strongly and seemed determined to get forward in greater numbers.
Mark Bell twice within as many minutes nutmegged his marker and put testing balls into the danger area; George Redknap’s cross-cum-shot crept just past the far post; and Mark Avery’s centre saw Watkins needing to use his height and reach to deny Tellemaque.
With the home defence backing away Jack King unleashed a great shot on 55 minutes which looked as though it might break the deadlock, but, with Steve Smith scrambling across his goal, it faded just past his left-hand post. And, in the next attack, a long throw from Witt eventually reached Jack unmarked near the far post, but his header missed the mark.
Just past the hour Didcot made the first substitution of the afternoon, with youngster Michael Hopkins replacing Mulvany, and promptly edged themselves into the lead when a shot from Vine was only partially stopped by Smith diving to his left, and Liam Hope, following up, swept the ball home to the delight of the travelling fans.
City needed to come back quickly from this setback, but the Didcot defence seemed to grow in stature after the goal and the home side, despite the introduction of three pairs of fresh legs over the next ten minutes, made little headway against resolute defending.
As the home side necessarily pushed men forward Didcot were finding more space in which to operate and a second goal looked possible as Odihambo broke clear, but shot wide; Vine tested Smith with a shot that bounced worryingly just in front of Smith; Odihambo chose to shoot unsuccessfully from a very narrow angle with Vine waiting patiently by the penalty spot for a pass; and Jack set up Vine for a shot that was very close to counting.
City worked industriously to fashion a clear chance, but the confident Didcot defence was equal to everything, and the nearest the home side came to restoring parity was a half-chance from a diving header from Pond, and a powerful shot from Bell that was blocked by a lunging defender.

FULL-TIME: Oxford City 0-1 Didcot Town

City: Smith, Saulsbury (Janes 69), Woodruffe (Davis 72), Avery, Pond, Gunn, Bell, Malone, Romeo, Tellemaque, Redknap (Jones 75).

Didcot: Watkins, Heapy, Jack, Williams, Parrott, Witt, Mulvany (Hopkins 61), King, Odihambo (Gooding 86), Vine, Hope.

It was always going to be close and it came as no great surprise that, despite the history of two high scoring games earlier in the year, a single goal separated the teams at the end.
Still there’s plenty of time left in the season and it would be wrong to read too much into this narrow defeat: and if we can’t win the league then a City/Didcot play-off would certainly be a great crowd-puller!
And let’s hope that all those extra fans who were backing the team this afternoon will continue their support for the remaining nine home league matches.

Bridgewater

Posted by ChrisB on February 4, 2008, 9:16 pm

Hope this is still of some use to someone ... only just got back from the West - passport impounded at Weston-super-Mare checkpoint!

City’s second visit of the season to the county of Somerset took them to Fairfax Park, home of Bridgwater Town for the last twenty four years. Like City, Bridgwater lost their previous ground, Castle Field, in the ‘80s and have, rather more slowly than City, had to work their way back into Senior football. Anyway their first season back in the Southern League has proved to be a good one and the match always promised to be a close encounter.
The opening exchanges were won, unsurprisingly, by the two meanest defences in the division and set the scene for much of the afternoon’s play with both attacks having to try to make something of the minimum of clear opportunities.
Kevin Chorley was the first to be nearest the target early on, while a run on the right by Mark Bell allowed James Saulsbury to deliver one of his difficult, curling centres into the Bridgwater box that Tom Manley did well to hold under pressure from Errol Tellemaque.
Nat Pepperell’s acceleration took him into a promising position for the home side, but Ricky Allaway was quick to spot the danger and produce a well-timed tackle.
On ten minutes both Allaway and Chorley had to leave the pitch after a clash of heads brought Justin Merritt racing from the dugout for a frank discussion with Mr Barter and lengthy blood-staunching repairs from the two physios.
Increased home pressure saw some scrambled clearances from the City rearguard before Richard Lamacraft wasted the best of several possibilities, slicing his shot wide of the post.
Play moved to the other end, and Steve Davis, Bell and then Saulsbury all lifted testing crosses into the penalty area. From the last of these a Bridgwater defender hooked the ball towards the side-line and, as the nearest players jogged towards the probable throw-in, the ball curled, bounced and stayed in play. Pepperell reacted first, and sprinted from well inside his own half, down the right flank, and, cutting in, crashed an unstoppable shot across Steve Smith and into the top corner on 21 minutes.
City dug deep, fought back, and were back on terms within five minutes. Good work on the City left saw Leon Woodruffe release Steve Davis who eventually found Darren Pond just outside the box. He had little time to line up his strike, but it was on target and bounced just in front of Manley who failed to hold the ball cleanly and Yashwa Romeo, following up well, was just first to the rebound and nudged the ball home.
Defences claimed the upper hand again and, as the half went on, neither side really got close enough to test either Smith or Manley. Pepperell fired high from distance for the Robins, and Davis was also high with a long-range lob as he tried to beat Manley when the keeper found himself on the ground after he had had to punch clear with Romeo in attendance.
The only real chance of the second quarter came from City’s sixth corner as a good delivery from Bell found the ball loose in the area after Manley and Mark Avery had jumped together and Tellemaque toe-poked the ball just wide with the defence claiming a foul on the keeper.

HALF TIME: Bridgwater Town 1-1 Oxford City

Bridgwater went the nearer in the early part of the second half when Jak Martin, unmarked near the far post, could have done better with his header from a Pepperell corner, and Pepperell, himself, a few minutes later lashed a loose ball high over the bar.
Davis was working hard on the left and twice got behind the back four before Avery showed some classy footwork to deliver a ball that eventually reached Bell whose pull-back from the goal-line set Romeo up for a shot against the base of the post.
Just on the hour a long ball out of defence reached Davis and, with City players and supporters berating the unsighted Mr Barter for missing an obvious handball by a red-shirted defender, he beat his man and delivered a precise cross for Tellemaque to outjump Manley near the penalty-spot and head home.
Bridgwater’s turn to fight back, and the City defence was having to work hard to keep them at bay. At least one hurried clearance gave the local rail franchise a ready-made excuse (“...wrong type of ball on the line”) for late-running, and several corners were conceded in a short space of time. Whether delivered by Pepperell or Pete Monks all caused problems, and on 68 minutes substitute Brett Trowbridge was in the right spot to put the finishing touch to one from Monks.
Over the final twenty minutes few chances presented themselves. For the Robins Monks had a free-kick in a potentially dangerous spot, but fired straight at Smith; and Jamie Price headed another corner worryingly near to the target. City’s best hopes came when Bell looped a dipping pass into the path of Romeo, but overelaboration saw the chance slip away; and, with time running out Liam Malone couldn’t keep his shot down as he ran onto a cross from Bell.

FULL TIME: Bridgwater Town 2-2 Oxford City

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Woodruffe, Gunn, Pond, Allaway (Avery 30), Bell, Malone, Romeo, Tellemaque (Stewart 77), Davis.

A tough, and occasionally volatile game and, having finally edged in front, City may feel they should have kept their grip on the three points, but, on balance, two goals apiece was probably a fair reflection on the play.

Thatcham

Posted by ChrisB on January 26, 2008, 8:53 pm

City hit the road yet again this Saturday for the short trip down the A34 to Waterside Park to take on an improving Thatcham Town side.
The early exchanges were fairly even with both sides forcing a couple of corners but with neither keeper being particularly put under pressure. Anthony Alleyne shot wide of the post with Steve Smith slightly wrong-footed, and Mark Bell at the other end produced an impressive run, but the final shot lacked power.
City were pressing the harder as the first quarter closed and on 22 minutes debutant Errol Tellemaque timed his run perfectly to get on the end of a lofted pass from Liam Malone over the back-four and lift the ball over Paul Strudley as he left his line.
City continued to push forward and the lead was doubled seven minutes later when the ball broke to Mark Bell near the top of the area and his firm strike took the ball into the net despite Strudley getting both hands to it.
Almost immediately Thatcham might have narrowed the gap when Vinnie Rusher worked a good position for himself but fired over when he might have done better. The home side did pull a goal back on 35 minutes, however, when Smith, under pressure from Alleyne, could only palm away a deep cross from Mario Nurse, and Dave Asker was in the right place as the ball dropped to fire past a defender on the line.
Thatcham finished the half the stronger. Tom Melledew was first to a corner from the City right but headed firmly into Smith’s hands; Ryan Williams’ precise pass released Rusher but his shot from a tricky angle beat both Smith and the far post; and, right on the whistle, it needed a good tackle from Liam Malone to dispossess Rusher at the expense of a corner.

HALF-TIME: Thatcham Town 1-2 Oxford City

The second half was a comparatively quiet affair with Thatcham having the better of the game in terms of possession but with neither goalkeeper really having to produce anything spectacular.
Around the hour mark the home side looked as though they might force a second goal when the ball flew back and forth across the City area several times with no one quite able to get a significant touch; and a free-kick from a dangerous position was hit well by Rusher, but straight at Smith.
City’s chances were few, the best coming when a long pass from Malone out of defence found Alex Stewart on the left, and his cross just eluded Yashwa Romeo; and then in the dying minutes when Stewart headed down a long free-kick from James Saulsbury for Darren Pond to shoot just wide.

FINAL-SCORE: Thatcham Town 1-2 Oxford City

City: Smith, Saulsbury, Woodruffe, Gunn, Pond, Allaway, Bell (Stewart 70), Malone, Romeo (Redknap 86), Tellemaque, Davis.