Crusaders draw a blank

Although we had the better of the first half, and were perhaps unlucky not to be ahead at half-time, the home side scored only 3 minutes after the restart to take the lead. A second goal midway through the second half gave them a lead which we never looked like eliminating and as a result we slipped further down the fledgling league table.

Matt Day was again missing from the line-up as the City gained two early corners, but a long ball sent Louie Soares away only for his fierce shot to be finger-tipped over the bar by Craig Hill for a fruitless corner. A frantic melee in front of the City goal saw three shots blocked by defenders as we looked likely to take the lead, but the home side somehow survived. Another shot from Soares was straight at the home keeper as half-time approached.

The game was turned on its head only 3 minutes into the second half when Zac McEachran drove home a shot through a crowd of players to give City a lead which we seldom looked like overturning, although Bobby gambled by putting on all three substitutes. We found it difficult to get in a telling shot although we continued to battle on. After Matt Paterson had made it 2-0 to Oxford City midway through the half there was no way back and the home side were able to collect all three points as our shortage  of goals continues to pose a problem.

Team; Lewis Ward, Rhys Tyler, Paul Stonehouse, Matt Partridge, Jon Boardman, Luke Williams, Callum Willmoth, Scott Rees (Warren Bentley), Stefan Brown (Tom Meecham), Stefane Ngamvoulou, Louie Soares (Luke Hopper) - Unused subs: James Clark, Ian Herring