MATCH PREVIEW | CONCORD RANGERS V OXFORD CITY
Oxford City will try to attempt to continue their unbeaten start to 2023 with a trip to Concord Rangers in Vanarama National League South (3pm).
COUNTDOWN TO KICK-OFF
A positive draw with Hampton & Richmond last weekend lifted Oxford City to sixth in VNLS but now the task is to stay there.
The visit to Canvey Island on Saturday to face a Concord side battling for their lives will be no walkover, and City will have to do it without defender Andre Burley as he serves a one-match suspension for his red card sustained at the weekend.
Jack Davies is in line to return to his former club after he spent the beginning of this season on loan with the Beach Boys.
LAST TIME OUT:
Things couldn't have gone better for the Hoops in the last meeting between the two sides. A 5-0 win at the RAW Charging Stadium secured back-to-back victories at the start of the season.
Teenage striker Gerald Muchechetere scored his first senior goal in under a minute, before adding his second later on in the game. Klaidi Lolos also continued his hot-streak in front of goal with a double before substitute Jean-Baptiste Fischer sealed the route late on.
FORM:
CONCORD RANGERS
Form: LWDLD
After the departure of Chris Search in October, form has picked up under new Manager Rob Small. A string of three wins in a row in October/early November lifted Rangers out of their lull and proved to be a catalyst in their season.
However, the Beach Boys still lie in the final relegation place in VNLS by only a point. Recently, a 4-2 defeat to fellow strugglers Cheshunt can't have helped their cause but an impressive 2-1 victory over Hemel Hempstead has kept the likes of Hampton & Richmond, Chippenham and Slough in their sights.
OXFORD CITY
Form: WLDWD
City have been steadily accumulating points in VNLS and only one defeat in twelve makes for pleasant reading. Seven of those games have been draws but the lazy thing to do would be to discredit those.
Ross Jenkins' side have picked up solid points away at promotion hopefuls Braintree and Eastbourne, on top of a home draw with title-chasing Dartford. Wins against St Albans and Chippenham Town in recent weeks have also been particularly pleasing as City look to push on in the second half of the campaign.
ONE TO WATCH: Danny Green
In Danny Green, Concord have a midfielder with EFL experience. After coming through the ranks at Nottingham Forest he went on to play for sides such at MK Dons, Charlton & Luton before dropping into non-league with Chelmsford City and now Concord.
He's a key cog in the Beach Boy's side too. He's approaching 100 appearances for Rangers and he's no stranger to a goal either. City will have to be at their best to contain him on Saturday.
The Gaffer's thoughts:
“They’ve got a new manager, new ideas and new tactics so they’ll be trying to implement those things early on and we’ll have to make sure that we don’t think about the last game we played and focus on the game and their new style.
“We’ll need to make sure the boys are really on it as I’m sure the players who were there at the last game will want to put it right. We can’t take anything for granted.”
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