Late heartbreak for City, as York steal points in the last minute.

Oxford City 1

Williams-Bushell 61'

York City 2

Akinyemi 45+1’

Davies 90+2’

Oxford City were left to rue missed opportunities, as Will Davies' goal with the last kick of the match stole all three points for York City in the Vanarama National League.

Dipo Akinyemi had given the visitors a deserved lead in first-half stoppage time, but the Hoops came out fighting after the interval.

Aaron Williams-Bushell scored City's equaliser, burying Mitchell Roberts' cut-back into the net. However, City couldn't find the target from the numerous opportunities they carved out.

They were made to pay as Neal Ardley's side produced a sickener with virtually the last kick of the match as substitute Will Davies fired home after the ball landed to the striker inside the box.

SELECTION

Ross Jenkins made six changes from the Hoops' last fixture a full seventeen days previously.

Most notably, the outgoing duo of Goalkeeper Jack Bycroft & Striker Olly Sanderson were replaced by Chris Haigh & Alex Fisher respectively.

Lewis Coyle missed the game due to suspension (five yellow cards), but there were two huge names back on the bench, as long-term injury absentees Zac McEachran & Josh Ashby returned to the matchday squad.

Elsewhere, Aaron Williams-Bushell, Latrell Humphrey-Ewers, Andre Burley & Mitchell Roberts returned to the starting XI.

Report

Conditions were difficult for both sides, with torrents of rain and gusts of wind caused by Storm Isha, affecting play.

Fans had to wait until the fifteenth minute for the first chance of the game. York's Akinyemi unleashed a powerful drive from the outside of the area, but he saw his effort crash back off the post and bounce away to safety.

Although, Akinyemi wasn't to be denied a goal in the contest, as he gave the Minstermen the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Midfielder Scott Burgess should take a lot of credit for the opener. He wiggled his way into the penalty box and sent a shot towards goal, forcing a save from 'keeper Haigh.

However, the shot was too powerful to contain, and Akinyemi was ready and waiting to blast home from inside the six-yard box after the ball squirmed into the path of the striker.

The Hoops almost replied instantly. From kick-off, the side quickly launched an attack into the York half which led to Reece Fleet trying his luck from range.

Yet, the skipper could only watch as his curling effort crashed back off the post, seconds before the break.

Half-Time: Oxford City 0-1 York City

Second-Half

York were the better team in the first-half, but the Hoops came out fighting after the interval.

Ross Jenkins introduced McEachran to the fold and that change seemed to turn the contest on its head.

A rejuvenated side took to the pitch, and their good play was rewarded with a goal just after the hour mark.

A bursting run down the left-wing by makeshift centre-half Roberts, allowed the defender to dart to the by-line.

Then, he had the composure to pick his head up, and lay the ball on a plate to Williams-Bushell on the edge of the box, who duly smashed the ball into the net.

City weren't done their either.

Josh Parker capitalised on an error in the York backline and almost made them pay! After the Antiguan international stole the ball off the feet of Callum Howe, he picked out Jacob Roddy inside the box.

Yet, as the on-loan Charlton defender saw his shot blocked, the ball rolled to Fleet on the edge of the area, who curled a shot agonisingly wide of the target.

In his first appearance since October, 'keeper Haigh also had to keep City from falling behind, tipping Ryan Fallowfield's speculative free-kick from 35-yards onto the crossbar to spare the Hoops' blushes.

Josh Ashby also returned to action, replacing Humphrey-Ewers on 71' and he almost had the fairytale return!

However, his snapshot on the edge of the box was well saved by York 'keeper George Sykes-Kenworthy.

But, football can be a cruel game (as Ross Jenkins and his side have found many times this season), and what would of been a hard-earned point was brutally snatched away from the hard-working Hoops.

In the last minute of additional time, City couldn't clear their lines from a long throw-in, and when the ball landed inside the area to the visitor's Will Davies, he swung his left leg at the ball and saw his shot bounce off the crossbar and into the net.

Heartbreak for Oxford, in a game in which a point would have probably been a fair result.

Defeat and results elsewhere mean that the Hoops drop to the foot of the table.

But, there's no time to feel sorry for themselves, as Ebbsfleet United visit the RAW Charging Stadium on Saturday for another crunch game in the National League.

Match Details

Attendance: 651 (266 York City)

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Haigh, Burley, Kirby, Roddy, Fleet (C), Roberts, Parker, Williams-Bushell, Carroll, Humphrey-Ewers (Ashby 71'), Fisher (McEachran 46')

Subs not used: Toure, Fonkeu, Croker

York City XI: 

Sykes-Kenworthy, Fallowfield (C), Crookes, Duckworth (Kennedy 73'), McLaughlin, Akinyemi (Davies 64'), Howe, Chadwick (John-Lewis 78'), Burgess, Woodyard, Smith

Subs not used: Cordner, Barnes