Ruthless City thrash Boreham Wood at the RAW Charging Stadium.

Oxford City 5

Sanderson 33'

Carroll 62'

Ashby 63'

Fonkeu 68', 85'

Hartlepool United 2

Grey 16'

Cooke 40'

Another clinical second half performance by Oxford City saw the Hoops demolish promotion-chasing Hartlepool United 5-2 in the sweltering heat at the RAW Charging Stadium.

The Hoops were trailing twice in the first half, but turned the game on its head in the second period to fire four into the Hartlepool net, including a double from substitute Pierre Fonkeu.

SELECTION

Ross Jenkins made two enforced changes to his side coming into the game. Josh Parker and Andre Burley were both unavailable whilst on international duty (with Antigua & Barbuda & St Kitts & Nevis).

Alfie Potter and Tom Harrison replaced them in the starting eleven.

First-Half

Hartlepool had the game’s first proper chance, with in-form striker Mani Dieseruvwe’s header blocked by Lewis Miccio.

They then followed up with a chance falling to Charlie Seaman, who saw his volleyed effort rise just over.

However, they soon broke the deadlock. A delivery towards the back post met Joe Grey’s head, and he directed low past Chris Haigh to put the visitors ahead.

The home side grew into the game after that goal, with half-chances falling to Josh Ashby and Tafari Moore. The equaliser came on 33 minutes. Some fantastic play down the right by Nya Kirby, who slipped through Olly Sanderson, and the on-loan forward poked his finish under the sprawling Hartlepool keeper.

Parity was short-lived however, as the visitors regained the lead with a sumptuous goal by Callum Cooke.

The midfielder got the ball on the edge of the box, cut inside, and curled a beautiful finish past the helpless Haigh. Hartlepool saw out the half to go into the break ahead.

Second-half

But, as we saw in recent weeks, you can’t underestimate this side’s resilience. In the second half the Hoops came out fighting, and a double substitution introduced Pierre Fonkeu and Aaron Williams-Bushell.

Just five minutes later, City’s second equaliser came. The ball found the impressive Moore on the right hand side, and his outswinging delivery was powered home by Canice Carroll.

But once again, scores weren’t level for long. Just seconds after the restart, substitute Williams-Bushell pinched the ball off the toes off the Hartlepool defence, before being upheld in the penalty area.

The ball rolled kindly to the onrushing Ashby, who whipped the ball into the far corner. City were ahead for the first time in the game.

And once again, just minutes later, their advantage was doubled.

A slip from Manny Onariase at the back was pounced upon by Fonkeu, who, with all the time in the world, coolly slotted a low finish under Pete Jameson in the Hartlepool goal.

The game had flipped on its head entirely in the space of six minutes. City were now cruising, and very nearly added another with ten to go, after Ashby’s effort was pushed round the post excellently by Jameson.

Hartlepool threatened to stage a fightback, with a dangerous corner delivery turned goalbound by Onariase, but Haigh did well to hold the low effort.

The game was sealed in the 85th minute. Ashby had another free kick centrally, which he clipped to the back post, where Lewis Miccio was waiting. His low header was parried by Jameson, and the ball fell to Fonkeu again, who managed to squeeze his shot in, despite Jameson’s best efforts, to put City three goals ahead.

The home side confidently saw the game out for a second home victory of the season. This means their unbeaten run is now 5 games long, an impressive feat considering the fixtures played in this time period.

The victory means the Hoops rise to 16th, 3 points clear of the relegation zone. The visitors remain in fourth.

Match Details

Attendance: 1,423 (448 Hartlepool)

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Haigh, Miccio, Ashby (Wilson 90'), Kirby, Harrison, Coyle (Williams-Bushell 58'), Fleet, Sanderson, Potter (Fonkeu 58') Carroll, Moore

Subs not used:  McEachran, Humphre-Ewers

Hartlepool United Starting XI: 

Jameson, Hendrie, Onariase, Ferguson, Paterson (Hastie 64'), Seaman, Wallace (Finney 33' (Umerah 72')), Crawford, Cooke, Grey, Dieseruvwe

Subs not used:  Dixon, Lacey