Shrimpers Stalemate for the Hoops

Oxford City 0

Southend United 0

Neither side could break the deadlock at the RAW Charging Stadium and would have to settle for a point apiece.

The result did arrest the run of three successive defeats that both sides faced coming into this match, and a much needed clean-sheet for the Hoops after their 7-1 defeat the week before.

It certainly wasn't a drab 0-0, and both sides would feel like they had a case for winning the match, with both keepers making important saves in each half to keep the scores level.

Selection

There were another two new faces in the City squad ahead of kick-off, including a familiar face for the Shrimpers with Brooklyn Kabongolo signing with the Hoops for the rest of the campaign.

There was a new face between the sticks as well, with Tom Watson joining City from Wigan Athletic for the rest of the campaign.

Both went straight into the starting line-up, and replaced Marcin Brzozowski and Phil Croker.

There were a further three changes to the side that lost at Dagenham, with Andre Burley, Josh Parker and Renny Smith all returning in place of Lewis Coyle, Latrell Humphrey-Ewers and Harry Birtwistle.

First-Half

The match had a cagey start with neither side really able to get a shot on goal. Cav Miley’s shot over the bar on the half-hour was really the first effort on goal.

City would go on to have the ball in the net through Renny Smith 60 seconds later, but would be denied by the linesman’s flag.

Late in the first period, and both keepers were called into action, and it would be Collin Andeng Ndi who had to get down low to push Aaron Williams-Bushell’s fierce effort around the post after the winger had been found out wide to get a shot away.

A couple of minutes later, and City’s goalkeeping debutant Tom Watson was called into action as Harry Cardwell was picked out with a pinpoint through ball, but the Wigan loanee spread his body well to block.

Second-Half

Both sides had spells of pressure in the second period, with a series of corners seeing the visitors pile pressure on their hosts in front of their sell out 1,200 travelling fans.

Adam Crowther had a shot in the box after the Hoops failed to clear, and saw his effort crash off the crossbar. Cardwell would then get another shot off, but would see his effort fly wide of the goal.

Watson was once again forced into action when Wesley Fonguck’s effort saw the keeper smartly save down low.

But the hosts weathered the storm and found some efforts of their own, the first coming from Josh Ashby after a poor clearance from Andeng Ndi, with the midfielder shooting from 35 yards, and seeing his effort crash off the crossbar with the keeper well beaten.

Andeng Ndi would be forced into the save of the match with 20 minutes to play when Williams-Bushell was again found in the box, the winger opted to hit high, and was met by a stunning save from the visiting stopper, before Jacob Roddy pulled the result corner wide of the post.

The visitors had to play the final ten minutes with ten men after Nathan Ralph was shown a second yellow card in the box, but it would still be the visitors that came closest late on when Ashby was on hand to brilliantly block Gus Scott-Morriss’s effort.

Match Details

Attendance: 1,854 (1,200 Southend United)

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Watson; Burley, Phillips, Kabongolo; Roddy (Coyle 70); Fleet, Smith (Potter 65’); Williams-Bushell, Ashby, Greenslade; Parker (Fonkeu 85’). 

Subs not used: Humphrey-Ewers, Lumeka

Southend United XI: 

Andeng Ndi; Crowther, Kensdalde, Ralph; Scott-Morriss, Husin, Miley, Fonguck (Morton 68’), Bridge (Demetriou 88’); Cardwell, Sandat (Dackers 68’). 

Subs not used: Waldron, Wood