Match Preview | Oxford City v Brackley Town
Hoops kick-off 2025 with the visit of Brackley Town.
After a bright ending to 2024, Oxford City will be looking to extend their five-match unbeaten run into 2025 as they welcome Brackley Town to the MGroup Stadium
This is the first time that that City will face off against Brackley in a competitive match since 2014/15, rather remarkably in the Northern section of step 2.
As we've become accustomed to in recent seasons, the Saints are in the promotion mix and they know that three points would hoist them into the play-off places.
The Hoops have been in the scrap towards the bottom of the table for the first half of the season, but as they enter the second stage of the season, their run of ten points out of their last twelve now means that Ross Jenkins' side are now closer to the play-offs than the bottom four.
FIXTURE DETAILS
Oxford City v Brackley Town
The MGroup Stadium – Wednesday 1st January – 1:00pm
Vanarama National League North
Referee: Harry Warner | Assitant Referees: Jordan Griffiths & Thomas Durno | Fourth Official: Mitchell Cartwright
FORM
OXFORD CITY - W W D W W
Back-to-back wins in National League North was the perfect finish to a turbulent year on the pitch for City, and now the Hoops are looking up the table rather than nervously over their shoulder.
The 2-1 victory away at Rushall Olympic on Boxing Day may have been smash & grab, but as the saying goes, if you're getting results when the team aren't necessarily playing at their best - it's a good sign.
The 3-0 victory in the last home outing vs Spennymoor and a 1-1 draw away at Darlington are perhaps the most impressive results in the Hoops' purple patch.
However, Brackley will pose a different challenge all together.
BRACKLEY TOWN - L W L D W
Brackley have had an inconsistent run of late, but two wins against Chester and Leamington alongside a 1-1 draw against Farsley Celtic has been a welcome boost to their play-off chances.
However, the Saints' away form has been exceptional.
They've only been beaten on the road twice this season. Moreover, those defeats have been against Scarborough Athletic and Kidderminster Harriers, no disgrace to any side.
Despite that though, their last win on the road came over a month ago in November in a 1-0 win away at Rushall Olympic.
With Chorley and Buxton facing off on NYD, a win for Brackley would put them into the play-offs. A far cry from their stuttering start to the season.
ONE TO WATCH - Connor Hall
Connor, 26, signed for Gavin Cowan’s side in time for a magical debut on 1 January 2024 scoring a home hat-trick against local rivals Banbury United and went on to score 9 goals in 23 appearances in that first season.
Connor featured for Chorley scoring 38 goals in 92 appearances over three seasons before joining National League Solihull Moors.
Loans spells at Farnborough and then Brackley led to Cowan snapping him up for the 2024-25 season. Connor is the older brother of Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall.
THE MANAGER - Gaz Dean
Captain and stalwart defender with over 300 appearances for Brackley, Gaz was formerly of Nuneaton Town and Solihull Moors.
He scored Brackley’s most famous goal equalising in added time at Wembley in the 2018 FA Trophy final.
Regularly named in the National League North team of season Gaz stepped in as interim manager at the end of the 2022-23 season taking Saints to the play-off final and captained the side to another Promotion Final last season in Gavin Cowan’s first season as manager.
HOW TO FOLLOW
FOLLOW THE ACTION:
As per usual, we will be following the game via our Social Channels, including our new WhatsApp Channel where you can read minute-by-minute action as the LIVE event occurs! You can sign up for free HERE.
There's also LIVE commentary on BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website via BBC Radio Oxford.
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