Hoops off the mark in the Vanarama National League.

FC Halifax Town 1

Harker 32'

Oxford City 1

Fonkeu 54'

Oxford City picked up their first point of the season with an impressive draw on the road at FC Halifax Town.

Pierre Fonkeu scored his first goal for the club in the second-half to cancel out Rob Harker’s opener before the interval.

However, the game wasn’t without its controversy after Canice Carroll’s header that seemed to cross the line wasn’t spotted by the officials.

SELECTION

Ross Jenkins made one change to the side that fought so valiantly against Chesterfield on Tuesday evening.

Nya Kirby shook off a slight knock to return to the starting eleven, replacing Latrell Humphrey-Ewers in City’s only change.

First-Half

Halifax reduced the Hoops to long-range efforts in the first-half but that didn’t deter Kirby from trying his luck. His dipping effort moved in the air and Shaymen ‘keeper Sam Johnson thought it best to be safer rather than sorry and parried the effort behind.

The Halifax onslaught started twenty-five minutes in and City had the post to thank when Jamie Cook’s left-footed effort bounced back off the woodwork.

However, they did get the opener just after the half-hour mark. Former Burnley striker Rob Harker capitalised on an error in the Hoops’ backline and had the time and space to run through on goal and slot a shot past Chris Haigh to open the scoring.

In honesty, the Hoops weren’t at the races in the first-half and they could’ve gone into the break two goals down.

Harker had a golden chance to add his second of the game but he couldn’t nod Galvin’s cross into the net from inside the six-yard box with the goal gaping.

Despite the Shaymen in the ascendancy, Reece Fleet almost sent City into the break on level terms. The ball fell perfectly in front of the skipper before he sent a fierce drive inches wide of the post.

Half-Time: FC Halifax Town 1-0 Oxford City

Second-half

If the first-half was a report card for the Hoops it would’ve read ‘must do better’, but that’s exactly what Ross Jenkins’ side did after the break and the balance of play flipped entirely.

City were the better team for the second forty-five and their bright start was rewarded with a goal.

Josh Parker ran the Halifax defence ragged throughout the afternoon, and after he beat his marker on the right wing, he unselfishly squared the ball to Pierre Fonkeu to bury an effort into the net from inside the box.

City continued to ask questions of the hosts and as the clock ticked on, the Hoops were the most likely to find a winner.

Halifax did well to keep City at arms length, however when Carroll headed an effort towards goal, Ross Jenkins’ side thought they’d be taking all three points back to Oxfordshire with them.

The fans were celebrating; the players had started to celebrate, but the linesman remained unmoved. Josh Ashby was shown a yellow card for his protests, but that shouldn’t take the shine off of a very impressive result on the road.

Next up, our shortest trip of the season to Maidenhead United.

Match Details

Attendance: 1,597 (25 Away)

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Haigh, Burley, Miccio, Ashby, Kirby (Humphrey-Ewers 83’), Coyle, Fleet ©, Parker, Fonkeu (Potter 62’), Williams-Bushell (Wilson 67’), Carroll

Subs not used: Harrison, Moore

FC Halifax Starting XI:

Johnson, Golden (Cosgrave 76'), Galvin, Stott, Keane, Senior, Hunter, Evans (Summerfield 84'), Oluwabori, Cooke (Wright 65'), Harker

Subs not used: Cappello, Cummings