A dramatic 94^th minute header from Aaron Drewe secured a HUGE point on the road at league leader’s Scunthorpe United, as Oxford City produced a performance full of grit and determination to draw 2-2 away at the National League North leaders.

Ross Jenkins made four changes from the side that lost to Gosport Borough last time out. Chi Ezennolim and Tom Scott were handed their first starts for the club, whereas Jalen Jones and Corie Andrews returned to the starting XI.

After a poor start to the season, the first 45-minutes of the match was full of spirit endeavour and sheer determination from the Hoops.

Straight from the first whistle, City wasted no time in getting the ball into the final third and piled the pressure on Scunthorpe from the off. However, it was the hosts who took the lead with their first chance.

Callum Roberts jinked into the centre of the field and fired past Rylee Mitchell from the edge of the box to give a bouncing Glanford Park an even bigger lift.

Despite that, City didn’t crumble and kept on pushing in what turned into an end-to-end half.

The Hoops’ defence had to be on guard. Twice Andre Burley cleared efforts from Scunthorpe off the line as Ross Jenkins’ side (quite literally) put bodies on the line.

That fighting spirit proved dividends too, as Corie Andrews fired City level on eighteen minutes.

Lewis Coyle managed to keep an attack alive and crossed to find Andrews in the box. Unmarked, he poked past Scunny ‘keeper Fitzsimmons to level. That goal was just the fourth that the home side have conceded all season.

That goal caused a reaction from the hosts and emotions started to rise.

Some choice words between Lewis Coyle and Scunthorpe centre-half Liam Boyce caused a fracas just before the interval, which continued into the tunnel after the referee had blown his whistle.

Half-Time: Scunthorpe United 1-1 Oxford City

The second-half started in the same manner as the first, and the host’s showed why they top the National League North table.

Roberts grabbed his second goal of the game with a free-kick which took a wicked deflection to fly past a helpless Mitchell.

From there on in, the Hoops had to dig deep. Relentless pressure from Scunny was rebuffed by the City defence that refused to give an inch.

Mitchell had to stay alert to deny Danny Whitehall a third mid-way through the half, which proved to be crucial.

City stayed in the game and at the death they nicked a point with seconds to spare. Aaron Drewe headed home at the back post from Josh Parker’s cross to secure a mightily impressive point on the road.

Oxford City Starting XI: Mitchell, Burley, Ezennolim, Ashby, Jones, Coyle (Roddy 81'), Fleet ©, Andrews (Potter 76'), Parker, Scott (McEachran 66') Carbon (Drewe 81')

Subs not used: Stretton