The Turbines took the wind out of Oxford City's sails this evening as a 6-0 FA Cup win became a distant memory as Peterborough Sports won 3-1 at Court Place Farm.

Goals from Will Van Lier, Matt Tootle and Dion Semble-Ferris  saw the Sports home despite a Josh Parker penalty shortly after the break that all too briefly lifted hopes of a home comeback.

City never truly recovered from the slow start that saw them 2-0 down by the 14th minute. Having gone ahead after 13 seconds on Saturday, the roles were reversed when the Sports took the early lead this time. Midfielder  Van Lier was granted far too much space inside the box and from close to the penalty spot fired past the horribly exposed Rylee Mitchell to make it 1-0. 

It could have been worse soon after but Mitchell made a superb save to prevent Semble-Ferris from making it two, but that was a temporary reprieve as two minutes later the experienced Tootle was again given room and let fly from 20 yards to beat Mitchell via a deflection to make it 2-0. 

City were stunned and it took them until the half hour to regain their composure with Zac McEachran leading the charge and Corie Andrews close to converting a cross as they tried to find a way back into the game. Cole Kpekawa thumped a header wide from a corner and a Josh Ashby free kick soon after the break hinted at a second half comeback. 

Whatever Manager Sam Cox said at the break worked, initially, and on 52 there was hope. Cardo Siddik was hauled over inside the box and Parker, on as a sub, calmly slotted home his first goal of the season with an expertly-taken penalty. 

Now City needed to press for an equaliser but instead they fell for the sucker punch just after the hour when  the impressive Michael Gyasi pinned his man and set Semble-Ferris free in the right channel. There was still plenty of work to do but his shot across Mitchell was perfect and it was 3-1 as the ball flew perfectly inside the far post. 

Again City rallied but the damage had been done and The Turbines had proved simply too powerful. Time to stand up and be counted in the league when they welcome Needham Market on Saturday...

CITY
Mitchell, Ashby, Jones, Kpekawa (Carbon 72), Coyle, Fleet (Stretton 81), Andrews (Potter 72) , McEachran, Siddik, Walsh (Parker 46), Roddy 

SUB unused

Scott