The Hoops were 2-0 winners over Worthing in last Sunday’s play-off semi-final, and manager Ross Jenkins is hoping his team will be able to replicate that ‘professional’ performance in this weekend’s final, against St Albans City.

Reflecting on the Worthing victory, the City boss said, “It was a cagey first five minutes, but afterwards we settled right into our path. It wasn’t a free-flowing Oxford City, but it was a professional performance. We created enough to win the game and we were defensively really good, we’ll take a 2-0 all day against Worthing because they’re a top team, so hopefully we can do the same against St Albans.”

“The games have flown by,” said Jenkins, looking back on the 2022/23 campaign. “We’ve come a long way, it’s gone quickly but it’s a good thing because of where we are. I think the boys need to take big credit for that because when you’re winning and getting results, time does fly because you’re enjoying yourself. 46 league games down the road and we’re here, we’re where we want to be, so big credit to the players and staff involved at Oxford City Football Club.”

The Hoops will now face a resilient St Albans City side, who reach the final having taken both their eliminator and semi-final matches to extra-time. 

City were triumphant over St Albans on both occasions during the regular season, and of the past two meetings, Jenkins said, “At their place [0-1 win] it was a bit of an even match-up, I think a draw probably would have been fair because both teams were knocking on the door, but we managed to get that win. At our place [2-1 win] I thought we were really good, I thought it was high energy, I thought we played really well and it’s something that we want to replicate on Sunday.”

“They’ve had two extra-times, it’s difficult but it shows a bit of character for them. We’re lucky enough that we didn’t have to do that, we did the job in 90 minutes, so we’ve got to take the positives out of that. I think it’s two clubs that have really earned the respect to be where we are, and I think it’ll be a really difficult game and a battle.”

“I think the main takeaway of the result against Worthing was we looked after our performance and we looked after what we were going after,” Jenkins said, admitting that he doesn’t pay too much attention to the recent form of an opponent. “It’s a one-off game, I think that form goes out the window, stats go out the window.”



After a record attendance for a competitive fixture last time out, in the semi-final, the RAW Charging Stadium looks set for a sell-out this weekend, and the importance of the final being held at home is not lost on the City manager, “I think if you can’t win the league outright like Ebbsfleet, then the next best thing is to get those home ties,” Jenkins said. 

“We worked hard for it, and we managed to get what we wanted, which was the home tie against Worthing [in the semi-final]. We put in a real good, professional performance, so we’ve got to take confidence from that game. We’ve got another home game, I think it’ll be a sell-out, and the boys are really up for it; we’ve trained well, the atmosphere feels good.”

“Last week we had a good attendance, Worthing brought maybe 500, and they were good as well - it was a real good footballing atmosphere. If the local Oxfordshire community wants to come and watch that would be brilliant - the more the merrier. I think we’re getting to that full capacity at the moment and that’s a good sign. Hopefully we can put on a performance that will encourage people to come back.”

Jenkins, when asked whether he has been preparing his players for the possibility of extra-time and penalties this weekend, insisted that he’s not looking further than the game’s initial 90 minutes.

“I think the focus is purely on the 90 minutes,” he said. “We’ve never addressed penalties or extra-time during the season and we’re in the final, so we’re just going to continue with what we’ve been doing.”

A win on Sunday would see Oxford City promoted to the fifth tier of English football for the first time in the club’s history, and on the prospect of going all the way, Ross Jenkins said, “We are in this position because the boys have earned it. It would be a great achievement for the local community as well, for us to go up a level.”

“Hopefully it would attract more fans and the younger generation to come and watch. But I think the most important thing is what you do on the pitch, you do the business first, and whatever happens after that happens.”

The Hoops manager cannot speak highly enough of his group of players, and admits that they’re all continuing to work towards the team’s goal, regardless of their individual situations, “We’ve got real good competitiveness in our squad,” he said. “The intensity at training is really high. People know that there are only a few spaces on the bench, but to this day we’ve not had a problem with people missing out. We’ve been altogether and everyone is contributing towards the same thing, whether you’ve been on the bench or played.” 

“Everyone has contributed at some point to put Oxford City in this position. The boys have been brilliant and first-class really, everyone’s stuck together. Training last night was really upbeat, everyone was involved and fully fit, so we’re in a really good place at the moment.”