City back to winning ways with impressive home win.

Oxford City 3

Parker 29’

Sanderson 80’, 84’

AFC Fylde 0

Oxford City lifted themselves out of the relegation zone with a solid victory against struggling Fylde, producing a 3-0 victory.

Josh Parker converted a penalty won by debutant Rafferty Pedder in the first half, before super-sub Olly Sanderson put the game beyond doubt with two close range finishes within five minutes of each other.

SELECTION

Two new signings came into the Starting XI for the Hoops, with QPR loanee Rafferty Pedder and full back Mitchell Roberts both making debuts.

Alfie Potter also returned to the starting XI, with Tafari Moore and Lewis Coyle dropped to the bench, while Nya Kirby missed out with injury.

First-Half

City started well, and thought they could have had a penalty inside the opening ten minutes, after Zac McEachran was brought down after a break away, but referee Gary Parsons saw nothing doing.

Fylde looked threatening as well, with their talisman Nick Haughton’s well struck free kick saved excellently by Chris Haigh, followed by a header over by Emeka Obi.

But City held strong, and their resilience paid off when debutant Rafferty Pedder danced into the box and was brought down, and this time Parsons had no choice but to point to the spot.

Josh Parker stepped up, and buried it in the bottom left to score his sixth of the season.

Parker came so close to doubling the home side’s advantage just before the break, whipping a free kick over the wall, but it crashed off the bar, to the relief of Fylde keeper Max Metcalfe.

Obi had another header from a corner in first half stoppage time, but once again couldn’t keep his effort down, and the Hoops went into the break leading.

Half-Time: Oxford City 1-0 AFC Fylde

Second-half

The second half started similarly to the first, with both teams pressing and creating chances.

Haughton came close once more with a low drive that was turned round the post by Haigh, before Rafferty Pedder’s close range diving header just went just wide.

Haughton then nearly produced one of the goals of the season, spinning past his man in the centre circle, before attempting an audacious lob from well inside his own half.

It looked to be heading for the top corner had it not been for the backpedaling Haigh, who was able to just about stretch and tip the ball over.

Renny Smith then had a chance to double the advantage and ease the Hoops nerves, but fired over from just inside the box.

Ross Jenkins made a switch with 15 minutes to go, replacing the goalscorer Parker with Olly Sanderson, and it proved to be an inspired move.

The forward tucked away just minutes later, following more excellent play down the right from McEachran, evading the offside flag and sliding the ball underneath Metcalfe to extend City’s lead.

And he wasn’t done there. Four minutes after his first, the 19 year old added his second and the Hoops’ third, after he pounced on a rebound from a powerful effort from Renny Smith, and once again squeezed the ball under the helpless Fylde goalkeeper.

City then cruised through to pick up their first win in nearly a month, giving them three points which lifts them out of the relegation zone into 20th.

The impressive victory will no doubt give the side lots of confidence heading into next week’s FA Cup 4th qualifying round away at Scarborough next Saturday.

Match Details

Attendance: 584 (51 AFC Fylde)

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Haigh, Burley, Harrison, Fleet, McEachran (Coyle 81’), Pedder (Fonkeu 87’), Roberts, Parker (Sanderson 77’), Smith, Potter, Carroll

Subs not used: Humphrey-Ewers, Moore

AFC Fylde Starting XI: 

Metcalfe, Gordon, Davis, Obi (Omotayo 46’), Philliskirk, Charman (Rowley 66’), Haughton, Graham, Conway, Khumbeni, Whitehead (Ustabasi 46’)

Subs not used: Glynn, O’Kane