MATCH PREVIEW | OXFORD CITY V TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Oxford City face a stern test in the form of a confident, play-off chasing Tonbridge Angels side this weekend at the RAW Charging Stadium.
COUNTDOWN TO KICK-OFF
Ross Jenkins’ men will be looking for another massive three points, and will no doubt be boosted by the return of international absentees Josh Parker and Andre Burley.
LAST TIME OUT:
City kicked off October with a trip to Longmead Stadium, and went into the game without a win in their previous five league games.
Despite starting off on the back-foot, it was the Hoops who struck first at Tonbridge after 26 minutes, through a well-placed finish from midfielder Josh Ashby.
City didn’t stop there, and doubled their lead seconds before the half-time whistle when Josh Parker met a perfectly weighted cross from Lewis Coyle to head home for his third goal of the season.
Just eight minutes into the second half, however, City found their lead halved after Soares-Junior’s stunning curled shot flew into the top-left corner of Dudzinski’s goal.
14 minutes later Tonbridge were back on level terms through another long-range strike, this time it was Jeremy Santos who let fly from outside of the penalty area, sending a pin-point effort into the bottom-left corner.
Ross Jenkins’ side might have felt aggrieved in the latter stages of the contest, when wing-back Williams-Bushell was denied a penalty with ten minutes left to play.
But ultimately City could not find a way through, and had to settle for one point rather than the three that seemed well within reach after a strong first half.
FORM:
OXFORD CITY
Form: L D W W D
Oxford City extended their unbeaten run in National League South to four games with a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Dulwich Hamlet last weekend, in a game where Ross Jenkins was without a number of key players.
City, who have won two of their last three in VNLS, return to the RAW Charging Stadium in third place, though all too aware of the fine margins that separate those priceless play-off spots; Chelmsford - in fourth - are only behind the Hoops on goal difference.
With just six games remaining, City will be aiming to overcome another difficult opponent in Tonbridge Angels, part of a season-defining run of fixtures in April that includes Ebbsfleet United and Chelmsford.
TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Form: L W D D W
Looking behind enemy lines ahead of Saturday’s pivotal fixture, City’s opponents Tonbridge have been in superb form under manager Jay Saunders.
Having arrived at the end of last season, when Tonbridge finished in a respectable 16th place, Saunders has turned the Angels’ fortunes around this term, and his side currently sit ninth in VNLS - just one point away from the coveted play-off places.
Tonbridge head into the game off the back of a thrilling 4-3 victory over Hungerford Town, and prior to that, the Kent-based side picked up respectable draws against Havant and Waterlooville and Ebbsfleet United.
Jay Saunders’ side have also travelled well of late, winning three of their previous four games on the road.
ONE TO WATCH: Jordan Greenidge
Former Stoke City striker Jordan Greenidge will certainly be one for the City backline to keep an eye on this weekend.
Greenidge joined Tonbridge on loan from Hemel Hempstead in November, on an initial one-month loan, but grabbed three league goals in his first four games, which saw his loan spell extended until the end of the 2022/23 season.
A clinical centre-forward, Greenidge is currently the joint-fifth top-scorer in National League South, with 16 goals so far this season.
THE GAFFER'S THOUGHTS:
“They’ve got different players, the manager’s brought in some fresh faces, they’ve brought in some quality, so we’re fully aware of what they can do.”
“It’s important that we focus on ourselves as well and what we can do, and try to implement that onto them.
"Their form is good, they’re feeling themselves, they’ve got the feel-good factor, so I presume it’s going to be a real difficult team we’re going to face - to come out with three points on Saturday would make us feel really good.”
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