MATCH PREVIEW | TAUNTON TOWN V OXFORD CITY
Oxford City will look to make it six wins in a row in Vanarama National League South with a win away at Taunton Town tonight.
COUNTDOWN TO KICK-OFF
The wins keep on coming for Oxford City but tonight's trip to Taunton will pose a different threat to the Hoops.
Wins over Weymouth, Concord, Hungerford, Welling and Worthing have consolidated City's stranglehold on the play-offs but a they'll have to be at their very best to pick up three points against a Taunton side in a 'false' league position.
The Peacocks have suffered from a number of postponements over the winter and are playing catch up in the league. However, a string of results would catapult them up the league table in the club's first season back in step two of non-league.
LAST TIME OUT:
There was drama until the very end of the reverse fixture as Joe Iaciofano's last minute goal snatched all three points for ten-man Oxford City.
An own goal gave City the lead on twenty minutes after Andre Burley's shot was deflected into his own net by Taunton 'keeper Jack Bycroft. However, David Sims-Burgess equalised for the Peacocks five minutes before the interval, firing in from a goal-mouth scramble.
However, when Reece Fleet was given a red card for a second yellow three minutes from time, City had it all to do. However, like many times this season, the Hoops didn't know when they were beaten and after Tom Harrison was fouled inside the area, Iaciofano stroked home the penalty to win the game.
FORM:
TAUNTON TOWN
Form: W W D L L
Taunton may sit in 17th position and just five points above the drop zone but their league position can be seen somewhat as false.
The Peacocks have played (at the very least) five games less than their opponents due to a number of postponements and are now playing catch-up in the league.
In fact, City have played an incredible EIGHT games more the Somerset side.
In their last five games, their wins against Havant & Waterlooville and Eastbourne shouldn't be overlooked. However Rob Dray's side will be looking to arrest a run of three games without a win tonight.
OXFORD CITY
Form: W W W W W
The form guide makes for great reading for Hoops fans at the moment. An unbeaten start to 2023 has been accompanied by FIVE wins in a row in the league, a spell that has catapulted City up the league.
The last two victories have perhaps been the most impressive though. Two 3-0 victories over a full-time Welling side and then fellow play-off chasers Worthing has sent a statement out to the rest of the league.
The task will now be to carry on this fruitful spell for as long as possible ahead of tonight's difficult clash.
ONE TO WATCH: David Sims-Burgess
A pacy and direct striker, Dave joined the Peacocks in the summer of 2022 from Bath City. He is a product of the youth system at Filton College and after leaving there went on to play for Western League Chipping Sodbury Town for two years, helping them win promotion to the Western League Premier. He then moved up to the Southern League with Paulton Rovers for the 2017-18 campaign before joining Yate Town for 2018-19, a season in which he finished as the Bluebells’ top scorer as they won promotion to the Southern Premier. After moving back to Paulton for the following season when he scored 16 goals, he rejoined Yate in the summer of 2020. His goalscoring form for the Bluebells at the start of the 2021-22 campaign grabbed the notice of Bath City who signed him in November 2021.
He even scored against City in the reverse fixture and City will have to be at their best to stop him today.
THE GAFFER'S THOUGHTS
“They’ve [Taunton] have had a lot of games called off and have a lot of games in hand. I think Lewis Miccio said it best on Saturday, that their league position is a little bit false, and that’s really important to remember.
“From the games that they’ve missed it only takes four or five wins and then they jump straight back up the league.
“We have to forget about the league table and look at the club and the players. It’s important we address that, as they are a good team and it was a really good battle when we played them last.
“They keep their shape well, they’re disciplined and have got energy but the most important thing for us is that we’re physically ready as that was a big shift against Worthing."
HOW TO FOLLOW THE GAME:
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