Two well taken first half goals by Ashley Worsfold, put Town on the way to an excellent opening day victory at Oxford City.
Oxford’s new recruit from Brackley,Tom Winters,was in immediate action,when he created a first minute opening for Albi Skandi,who shot straight at Craig MacGillivray. Town countered with new long throw specialist,Leigh Franks, finding Adam Nowakowski whose looping header sailed over the bar.
Oxford’s own long throw merchant,skipper Andy Ballard,caused consternation in the town defence when,firstly, he set up Lee Henderson,who headed wide and then created a chance for Jamie Cook who failed to make contact. But it was Town who drew first blood,when on 26 minutes,Dave Merris crossed for Worsfold to turn and shoot past keeper,Mark Scott, from the edge of the area. Four minutes later Town doubled their lead ,when Chris Hall collected Nowakowski’s header and found Worsfold who sidefooted past Scott at the near post.
A searching cross field pass by Franks released Liam Hardy who cut in and was only inches high with a powerful drive. After 38 minutes,Town appeared to be out of sight when Anton Brown tapped in after Scott failed to hold Nowakowski’s vicious drive, after he had been played in by Hardy,only for the goal to be ruled out by the linesman’s offside flag. As half time approached Town were pegged back,when their defence failed to cut out a dangerous Winters cross and Darren Pond was on hand to turn in at the far post. Oxford strove hard to get back into the game,but mainly went the aerial route. Matt Bloomer,Franks and Killock,backed up by some superb handling by MacGillivray,easily contained the home attack and indeed, it was Town,prompted by the industrious,Adam Bolder, who created the better chances.
Both Hall and Killock had efforts cleared off the line and Bolder,Hardy and Nowakowski also went close. However,as the final whistle beckoned,Anton Brown,missed a great chance to make it three,when he blazed Bolder’s pass,way over the bar.
Town 1 MacGillivray, 2 Bloomer, 3 Merris, 4 Bolder, 5 Franks, 6 Killock (c), 7 Worsfold, 8 Brown, 9 Hall, 10 Nowakowski,11 Hardy. Subs 12 Wright, 14 White, 15 Rowe, 16 Samuels, 17 Jones (none used). Scorers Worsfold 26,30 Bookings nil.
