Oxford City’s pre-season started in the best possible way with a highly impressive win this afternoon as they beat Barry Town United 9-0 at Court Place Farm.

Josh Parker, Zac McEachran, Josh Ashby and youngster Jayden Carbon scored four of the goals while four trialists scored the other five as City moved smoothly through the gears to start the summer in the best possible way.

Sam Cox’s squad reported back on Tuesday and this game was all about weighing up options with ten trialists involved alongside those already signed on for the National League North campaign.

Surprisingly in a 9-0 win it was  giant keeper Kai McKenzie-Lyle who created the best initial impression with a couple of early saves from the Welsh Premier League visitors before City started to gel and went two ahead before the half hour through two trialists, the first a shot from the edge of the box and the second a dipping effort from the right that may well have been a cross.

McKenzie-Lyle kept that two goal lead intact with two superb saves at full stretch before the third goal came from a more familiar face when Parker bent home a magnificent free-kick to make it 3-0 at the break.

A fourth goal came shortly after the restart when a third trialist finished well from close range before McEachran made it 5-0 after 67 minutes with a rolled effort into the bottom left corner. A sixth, from a fourth different trialist came after 71 minutes as he twisted his way to find space and then planted the ball once again past the helpless Barry keeper

Barry had little to chuckle about and Ashby lashed home a seventh for the ruthless Hoops after 78 minutes, Carbon copied that with an eight and impressive Trialist I netted his second of the day to make it nine and send most fans inside to grab a seat for the England game that followed.

Our thanks to Barry who we wish well for the season while City move on to Tuesday night when we make the short trip to Didcot Town.

Read NOTHING into this, just a friendly, just the first game, but impressive stuff and hugely encouraging for the first game under their new Manager.

City: McKenzie-Lyle, Burley, Ezennolim, Croker, Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C, Coyle, Parker, Trialist D, Trialist E

Second Half

McKenzie-Lyle (Russell 73), Trialist F, Trialist G, Croker, Jones, Ashby, Trialist H, Carbon, Trialist I, McEachran, Osbourne

Report by Chris Williams, pictures Darrell Fisher and Steve Daniels