A superb first-half set the tone for City and goals from Alfie Potter & Zac McEachran were enough to secure the three points.

The Hoops were made to work hard for the victory though, as Concord emerged from the break a different team. Nathan Smith pulled one back for the hosts from a corner but City dug deep to climb to fifth.

Ross Jenkins made two changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Hampton & Richmond in their last outing. One change was enforced; Andre Burley served the only game of his suspension after his red card and was replaced by Lewis Miccio. Elsewhere, Alfie Potter replaced Joe Iaciofano.

That change seemed to be a masterstroke from Jenkins as in the first real chance of the game Potter gave City the lead.

Zac McEachran latched onto Aaron Williams-Bushell’s throw deep into the Concord half, before the midfielder cut –back to the edge of the box to Potter. Evading detection, the winger strolled onto the ball and placed a low shot into the bottom corner.

City had found their rhythm and continued to cut through the Rangers defence. Josh Parker came close, but his shot flew inches over the crossbar after he did well to swivel inside the box and unleash his effort.

However, Parker was in the thick of the action once again ten minutes after the first goal. The striker managed to control a long ball from the City defence and held off his marker well in order to drift over to the right wing.

That allowed him the space to dink a superb cross into the box, and there waiting was Zac McEachran whose headed effort applied the finishing touch after 23 minutes.

City’s football was free flowing throughout the first-half and the Hoops could’ve been home and dry fifteen minutes before the interval. Williams-Bushell was the man to go close this time, cutting inside from the right wing but he couldn’t get enough power onto his shot with his weaker foot and the effort bounced wide.

Half-Time: Concord Rangers 0-2 Oxford City

After the break, the hosts reacted well and brought the game to City.

Canice Carroll had to be alert to the danger on 65 minutes but expertly blocked an effort from Nana Kyei before Concord’s Mo Kamara fired wide from the rebound.

However, Concord got their goal twenty minutes from time when centre-half Nathan Smith volleyed home a corner from inside the box. Game on.

From then on in, the Beach Boys launched attack after attack on the City goal but the Hoops defence stood strong as the game started to get feistier. Louis Ramsey was booked for a terrible challenge on Lewis Miccio but a yellow card saved the defender from an early bath.

James Blanchfield envisioned his name in the headlines when the ball dropped to him from 20-yards out with two minutes left on the clock, but he got his bearings all wrong and sent a powerful effort rising over the crossbar so City could alleviate the pressure.

Like we’ve seen from City recently, the team dug their heels in and professionally saw out the remaining minutes of the game to secure a big three points.

The unbeaten start to 2023 continues but as more games fell foul to the weather, points on the board could mean so much to the team as other sides play catch-up as we progress into the business end of the season.

An Oxfordshire Senior Cup challenge against Oxford United awaits on Wednesday before a tricky clash against Weymouth on Saturday at the RAW Charging Stadium.

Oxford City Starting XI: Matthews, Davies, Miccio, Ashby, Coyle, Fleet ©, McEachran, Parker, Potter, Williams-Bushell, Carroll

Subs not used: Dudzinski, Iaciofano, Lolos, Carbon, Humphrey-Ewers