Hoops continue pre-season with draw on the road.

Nuneaton Borough 1

Kelly 89'

Oxford City 1

McEachran 33'

Zac McEachran's first-half strike wasn't enough for the win, as a late Leo Kelly goal salvaged a draw for Nuneaton Borough in City's second pre-season outing.

McEachran shone in his first match for City since the Vanarama National League South Promotion Final in May, drilling the ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box just after the half hour mark.

Chris Haigh also made an impression, producing a world class save to deny Scott McManus' powerful header from point-blank range, somehow tipping the effort over the crossbar.

However, a late mistake in the backline gifted the hosts a late leveller.

Despite the mistake, it was another positive outing for the Hoops, who continued to accumulate those all-important minutes in pre-season.

SELECTION

As per the norm in pre-season, Ross Jenkins had a squad of senior players, trialists and youngsters to choose from. All of whom were bidding to earn a place in the starting line-up for the season opener on Saturday 5th August.

A number of key personnel returned to the fore with Canice Carroll, Josh Ashby and Zac McEachran all making their first starts of the summer schedule.

On Tuesday evening, Jenkins picked two teams for both halves of the 0-0 draw against Salisbury, but chose a more familiar line-up to start in this friendly. New signing Tafari Moore also made his first appearance for the Hoops after signing from St Albans City.

First-Half

The game was an entertaining affair throughout, with chances aplenty at both ends of the pitch. However, it was the hosts who were to try their luck first.

The lively Bilal Yafai curled a shot around the post after three minutes to the relief of City 'keeper Chris Haigh.

However, City were also quick out of the traps. This time it was Nuneaton goalkeeper Dan Jezeph who was called into action, as he somehow denied Hoops new boy Tafari Moore a goal on his unofficial debut.

A beautifully floated ball from Josh Ashby landed to Moore at the back post, but Jezeph was quick off his line to smother the full-back's effort before he could poke home.

Borough striker Yafai was starting to become a thorn in City's side, and again the forward found space on the edge of the box on twelve minutes to fire a thunderous effort towards goal. The shot packed a punch, but Haigh was equal to the effort, parrying away the shot with an equally impressive save.

Haigh wasn't done there either. City's number one produced a stunning save to deny Scott McManus' header from a corner at point-blank range.

Somehow, Haigh managed to react in milliseconds to fingertip the effort over the crossbar to the dismay of the Borough captain.

That saved proved to be crucial too, as just seconds later the Hoops took the lead.

Zac McEachran was the man who grabbed City's first goal of the pre-season schedule. The midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the area, and after finding an angle drilled a low shot into the corner of the net to break the deadlock and send City into the break ahead.

Half-Time: Nuneaton Borough 0-1 Oxford City

Second-half

The Hoops should have doubled their lead after 58 minutes. A superb flick from Latrell Humphrey-Ewers completely outfoxed the Borough defence and sent trialist through on goal.

However, substitute goalkeeper Lewis Castle was alert to the danger, rushing off of his goal line to close down the angle and block what looked to have been a certain goal.

Jenkins made wholesale changes just after the hour mark. All the eleven players who started the match were replaced by the 62nd minute, giving everyone in the squad a chance to impress.

A more youthful City side took to the field for the remaining half an hour. A host of trialists accompanied Joe Wilson, Aaron Williams-Bushell, Braydon Daniel, Andre Bromfield, Phil Crocker, Josh McConnell and Niko Nenomen-Millar.

City really should have wrapped up a win with twenty minutes to play.

Borough's Castle continued to keep the Hoops at bay, making numerous saves to keep the deficit at just one goal.

Williams-Bushell had an effort blocked off the line, but the rebound wasn't converted by one of the day's trialist, despite the goal gaping. Again, the second-half trialists were linking up well and creating chances, but none could find a way past an in-form Castle.

However, despite being dominant in the match, the hosts snatched a late draw. A mix-up in the City backline saw Bromfield & Crocker try to clear the ball at the same time, thus cannoning back off of the defenders and into the path of Luke Benbow.

The Borough forward then had the freedom of the half to drive forward and pick out Leo Kelly to his left, to tap into an empty net.

A frustrating finish to the game but that was soon to be forgotten about after a series of impressive performances, and more importantly, more minutes in the bank!

City continue their preparation for the National League with a trip Gloucester City on Tuesday 18th July.

Match Details

Attendance: 301

Nuneaton Borough Starting XI:

Jezeph, Charles, Lafleur, Noble, McManus, Mancinelli, Stenson, Yafai, Rowe-Turner, Tomlinson, Osbourne

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Haigh (Trialist 62’), Moore (Williams-Bushell 62’), Miccio (Bromfield 62’), Ashby (McConnell 62’), Harrison (Nenomen-Millar 62’), Coyle (Wilson 46’), Fleet (Crocker 62’), McEachran (Trialist 46’), Parker (Trialist 62’), Carroll (Trialist 62’), Humphrey-Ewers (Daniel 62’)