Last Gasp Carroll Rescues Replay for City Against Seadogs

Scarborough Athletic 2

Mulhern 4’

Tear 53’

Oxford City 2

Sanderson 56’

Carroll 90+8’

Oxford City and Scarbrough Athletic must battle it out again in a Fourth Qualifying Round replay in the Emirates FA Cup as a last gasp Canice Carroll goal saw the sides draw 2-2.

Carroll headed home with practically the last action of the game from Zac McEachran’s ball across the box, the second time in as many seasons that the centre-back has done so to rescue a replay, after his heroics against Plymouth Parkway last season.

Scarborough scored early in each half, through Frank Mulhern and Dom Tear, to see them into a 2-0 lead, but Olly Sanderson quickly halved the deficit before Carroll’s late goal.

SELECTION

Ross Jenkins’ squad dilemmas were well documented over the past week, and was forced to make three switches to the side that beat AFC Fylde.

Andre Burley and Josh Parker were away on international duty and were replaced by Tafari Moore and Olly Sanderson, while Rafferty Pedder was not permitted to play by QPR, and Alfie Potter started in his place.

First-Half

The Hoops knew they were right in a game right from the off, and the game was just four minutes old when the home side took the lead.

After a deflected shot saw Chris Haigh tip over the bar, the resulting corner was flicked on for Mulhern to head home from a couple of yards out to give Scarborough a dream start.

It took 21 minutes for the Hoops to have an effort on goal when Lewis Coyle was found on the edge of the six-yard box, but his effort was blocked on the line.

Coyle would have another effort late in the half as he was found deep in the box, but he drilled his effort low but wide of the post.

Half-Time: Scarborough Athletic 1-0 Oxford City

Second-half

The Hoops came out with a changed shape in the second period, but quickly saw their hosts double their lead within 10 minutes of the restart.

After Mulhern had a shot blocked by the City defence, the loose ball fell to Tear, who had the easy task of slamming past Haigh.

But City bounced back quickly, and halved the deficit just three minutes later. The first time the Hoops unlocked the Scarborough defence saw Zac McEachran slip Sanderson through on goal, and in a trademark clinical fashion lifted his effort over Joe Cracknell to make it 2-1 with 30 minutes to play.

In truth, the game lacked clear cut chances at either end, but Haigh was called into action with 20 minutes to play when his strong foot blocked a Mulhern effort.

Approaching the end of the seven added minutes, and with time running out it looked like the Hoops would be going out, but as Nya Kirby’s shot from outside the box was deflected the bar, this gave City one final chance.

With Haigh up, the ball was delivered deep where McEachran controlled expertly, with him delivering a ball back across goal where Carroll rose highest to head home and salvage a replay.

The clubs must battle it out again at the RAW Charging Stadium on Tuesday 17^th October, 19:45 kick-off, further details will be announced in due course for this fixture.

Match Details

Attendance: 1,836 (30 Oxford City)

Scarborough Athletic Starting XI: 

Cracknell, Weledji, Brown, Maloney, Thornton, Qualter, Purver, Barnes, Mulhern (Coulson 87), Wiles (Colville 70), Tear (Green 77)

Subs not used: Gooda, Bancroft, Durose

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Haigh, Harrison, Coyle, Fleet, McEachran, Roberts, Smith, Potter (Fonkeu 5 (Kirby 62)), Sanderson, Carroll, Moore.

Subs not used: Miccio, Brzozowski, Humphrey-Ewers, Wilson