Oxford City secured another huge point in their bid for survival in Vanarama National League North with a 0-0 draw away at Scarborough Athletic. 

The game was a real battle from start to finish, but the Hoops were up for the challenge. 

An even first half ended with both ‘keepers rarely tested, and the second-half followed suit even with a late red card to Richie Bennett for the hosts. 

In fact, City could’ve stolen all three points deep into additional time. However, Tom Scott’s shot skewed agonisingly wide. 

Before the game there was a big moment for Phil Croker with the 18-year-old academy graduate named in the starting XI. 

There were also welcome returns for Reece Fleet and Alfie Potter on the bench as the duo returned from suspension and injury respectively. 

The first-half was a well-fought but narrow affair. However, it was the Hoops who started the brighter of the two. 

Jayden Carbon was chasing lost causes and forcing errors from the Scarborough backline and Croker was winning every header. 

Scott had the first chance of the game after eight minutes when his shot stung the palms of Seadogs’ ‘keeper Ryan Whitely. 

In honesty, both teams were reduced to long range efforts, but Josh Parker and Sam Reed’s efforts didn’t trouble either shot stopper. 

The best chance of the first half came through the lively Harry Green. In honesty though, his effort was easily saved by Laurie Walker.  

The game became an end-to-end affair and when Scarborough countered after a City attack, Chi Ezennolim made a superb last-ditch challenge to deny Stephen Walker’s stinging shot just after the half hour mark. 

Half time: Scarborough 0-0 Oxford City 

After the interval, Borough manager Jonathan Greening shuffled the pack, and the hosts looked set to launch an assault on the Hoops’. 

Reed capitalised on a slip in the backline, before flashing an effort wide of the target as again the game lacked the quality needed to break the deadlock. 

Young Croker kept battling and won every header, helped through the game by the experienced Canice Carroll who was also exemplary. 

Walker was equal to all the efforts Scarborough threw at him. Dom Tear coming closest in the second-half after cutting inside and firing straight at City’s number 13. 

Second-half substitute Lewis Maloney came closest for the hosts though after his free-kick whizzed inches wide of the post after trying to bend the ball round a six-man City wall. 

City pushed forward too though. Zac McEachran was up to his usual tricks when he was upended on the edge of the box just before he pulled the trigger. However, bizarrely, no free-kick was given. 

The hosts were reduced to ten-men three minutes from the end when Richie Bennett was given a second yellow card for a high challenge on Josh Ashby. However, the card came too late in the game to affect proceedings. 

In fact, Borough pushed for a winner, but it was City who almost snatched all three points two minutes into additional time. 

Tom Scott snatched at Coyle’s fizzed cross into the box and his effort bounced wide. 

However, the battling point extends city’s cushion above the bottom four to seven points. That could prove to be huge come the end of the season. 

Moreover, it stretches City’s unbeaten run to four games. Can we keep it going? Find out at the MGroup Stadium as we take on Radcliffe on Saturday. Click HERE.

Attendance: 1,135

Oxford City Starting XI; Walker, Ezennolim, Ashby, Coyle, McEachran, Carroll, Parker, Scott, Croker, Carbon (Fleet 73'), Drewe.

Subs Not Used: Andrews, Vaughan, Potter, Roddy