Oxford City picked up their first point of 2025 after a battling goalless draw with Chorley at Victory Park.

Neither team could break the deadlock in a tightly fought affair. However, City had numerous chances to win the game with chances that fell to Corie Andrews, Josh Parker & Zac McEachran.

The first-half was a gritty affair, but it was the Hoops who asked the early questions in the game.

Lewis Coyle’s drilled effort almost snuck into the bottom corner of the goal, but Matt Urwin’s strong palm denied the City wide man.

City continued to probe too. Corie Andrews opted for the unselfish option of passing after Josh Parker played him through on goal, but before Parker could prod a shot into the net it was deflected behind for a corner.

McKenzie-Lyle was kept busy too. Chorley grew into the first-half and the Guyana international shot-stopper got down well to palm Courtney Senior’s shot behind for a corner.

However, the Hoops were left wondering how they didn’t go into the interval ahead. Again, Andrews was set through on goal and unselfishly squared the ball to Parker but after a cruel bobble disrupted the trajectory of the goal, the striker’s shot hit the post.

Half-Time: Chorley 0-0 Oxford City

The second-half was pretty much the same story. However, still City couldn’t find a breakthrough.

Five minutes after the re-start, Zac McEachran was miraculously denied by a flying challenge from the host’s Moore. The tricky midfielder wiggled through and found the space for a shot inside the box but Moore defiantly flung himself at the shot to block.

The best chance of the entire match came twenty minutes from time. Zac McEachran’s excellent intuitive pass fed Parker through on goal, but when one vs one with Urwin, Parker couldn’t find the target as the ‘keeper saved.

In honesty, it was a game that lacked quality, and two resolute defences stole what was a well-contested match. City huffed & puffed but despite their good passages of play on a bobbly pitch, they couldn’t find a way through in the final third.

In fact, Chorley almost stole all three points with the last kick of the game. In what would have been a cruel twist of fate, Mike Calveley caught Craig Hewitt’s cut-back on the edge of the area, but he fired inches over the crossbar.

All in all, it was an impressive point on the road against a team in the thick of the play-off hunt. However, Ross Jenkins and the hardy City fans in attendance will probably be wondering how it wasn’t all three.

Next up, City return home against league leaders Kidderminster Harriers visit the MGroup Stadium in the first of five home matches in two weeks.

Attendance:

Oxford City Starting XI: McKenzie-Lyle, Burley (Scott 69), Ezennolim, Ashby, Jones, Coyle, Fleet, Andrews, McEachran, Parker, Drewe

Subs not used: Kpekawa, Potter, Croker, Howell