City hammer the Iron.

Oxford City 5

Andrews 8'

Ashby (P) 29'

McEachran 56'

Potter 65'

Carbon 78'

Braintree Town 1

Trialist 14'

Oxford City turned on the style in their final pre-season friendly of the summer as they breezed past National League side Braintree Town at Court Place Farm.

Goals from Corie Andrews, Josh Ashby, Zac McEachran, Alfie Potter and Jayden Carbon did the damage on a sunny afternoon in OX3, setting things up nicely for the season opener on Saturday afternoon.

Selection

Moments before the match, Jacob Roddy was announced as the latest addition to Sam Cox’s side ahead of the new season.

He started this game on the bench. Reece Fleet, Josh Parker & Cole Kpekawa all missed the fixture as precautionary measures, meaning that Corie Andrews led the line.

First-Half

It didn’t take long for Andrews to leave his mark on the game either. City started the match in a lively fashion and took the lead inside eight minutes.

Jayden Carbon’s fierce cross was sent into the six-yard box, and Andrews was on hand to bundle the ball into the net to open the scoring.

However, despite their dominance in the game, Braintree equalised five minutes after the opener.

The Iron’s left-back managed to cut inside from the left-wing and squeeze a shot past McKenzie-Lyle at the near post.

Nevertheless, City edged ahead again in an entertaining first-half.

Andrews was in the thick of the action again to win a penalty. He nipped ahead of the trialist Braintree Goalkeeper before being tripped lnside the box.

Josh Ashby stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, sending the ‘keeper the wrong way to find the corner.

In truth, the National League side did well to keep the lead at one goal.

Zac McEachran, Jayden Carbon and Brad Stretton all came close for City.

Lewis Coyle could feel most aggrieved though. The Trialist Braintree goalkeeper produced an outstanding save to deny Coyle, somehow tipping his fierce drive round the post.

Half-Time: Oxford City 2-1 Braintree Town

Second-Half

The one-way traffic continued after the interval. The post came to the visitor’s aid when Brad Stretton’s curling shot from the edge of the box bounced off the woodwork and to safety.

Nevertheless, City weren’t to be denied just two minutes later.

McEachran found scored City’s third of the afternoon, dribbling through the Braintree midfield and finding the space to roll the ball into the net.

From then on, Sam Cox’s side started to turn on the style.

Alfie Potter grabbed the fourth in style. Running in on goal, he showed fantastic composure to jink past the ‘keeper and roll the ball into an empty net.

For a while, Potter’s goal looked like it was going to be the pick of the match. However, Carbon wasn’t having anything of it.

City’s fifth was simply sublime. Carbon picked up the ball on the edge of the box, and as soon as he did, he had one thing on his mind.

The Oxford City academy graduate bent his shot into the corner of the net in sublime fashion to make it 5-1.

It was a solid showing in the Hoops’ final friendly before the big kick-off. We travel to Marine in a week’s time to start the National League North season. The rollercoaster of emotions start now.

Braintree start their National League season away at Oldham Athletic on Saturday, we wish the Iron all the very best for their season back in the fifth tier. 

Attendance: 155

Oxford City Starting XI: McKenzie-Lyle, Burley, Ashby, Jones (Trialist D), Coyle (Roddy 69’), Andrews (Osborne 86’), McEachran, Stretton (Trialist C 69’), Trialist, Potter (Daniel 76’), Carbon.

Subs not used: Trialist B,