MATCH REPORT: Billericay Town 3-1 Oxford City
Nana Owusu’s second-half strike wasn’t enough to spark a comeback, as two goals from Dylan Gavin and a Michael Chambers header consigned Oxford City to a 3-1 defeat at Billericay Town in Vanarama National League South.
The Hoops couldn’t make their possession and good passing play count in the first-half, before in-form Billericay were clinical enough to grind out three points.
Ross Jenkins made two changes to the side that were defeated at Ebbsfleet. Joe Iaciofano and Ewan Clark replaced Jacob Bancroft and Lewis Coyle.
The Hoops started the game in determined fashion. Ewan Clark, playing just off of Joe Iaciofano, looked sharp and George Harmon and Cole DaSilva were occupying the wide spaces superbly.
Iaciofano almost gave City the lead just after ten minutes with a low drive towards goal, but ‘Ricay Goalkeeper Zaki Oualah got down well to tip the effort behind.
The hosts grew into the half and started threatening the Oxford goal. The dangerous Femi Akinwande tried his luck from range to force a save from Ben Dudzinski and Niko Muir’s effort from range drifted inches over the crossbar.
The hosts broke the deadlock ten minutes from the break after making the most from a long throw-in. Akinwande’s header bounced off the crossbar before Dylan Gavin followed in from close-range.
Half-time: Billericay Town 1-0 Oxford City
City were set on levelling the scores after the interval and when Josh Ashby’s cross drifted inches wide of the post just minutes after the re-start, the Hoops were made to rue their missed chances.
Minutes later, towering centre-half Michael Chambers doubled the hosts’ lead when he was left unmarked in the box from a cross.
To compound things even more, seven minutes after the second, Billericay added a third. Another cross picked out Gavin who poked home his second of the game from close-range.
City did find a way past the ‘Ricay defence when Nana Owusu’s shot bounced over the goalkeeper twelve minutes from time but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback.
Dudzinski had to be at his best to stop the hosts from increasing their lead further in the last ten minutes. Superbly tipping Henry Ochieng’s fierce shot over the crossbar.
A frustrating day for City, who drop down one place to fifth in the Vanarama National League.
Now, a week’s rest-bite, before an Oxfordshire Senior Cup Semi-Final against North Leigh on Tuesday 29th April.
Attendance: 930
Starting XI: Dudzinski, Asare, Harmon, Ashby, Matsuzaka (Owusu 60'), Rowan, Fleet ©, McEachran, Iaciofano (O'Donkor 76'), Clark (Bancroft 60'), DaSilva
Subs not used: Coyle, Kyprianou
