Oxford City 2, Thame Utd 1: A brace from Colin Simpson helped Oxford City to record the double over their Ryman League Division 1 North neighbours in a cracking derby at Court Place Farm yesterday.

But they made it hard for themselves, with only a brilliant save from their keeper Steve Benbow denying Thame an equaliser.

Thame should have been dead and buried by then, but City spurned several chances.

The unmarked Andy Ballard headed over with the goal at his mercy on eight minutes, before Justin Lee was guilty of a glaring miss from the spot after Ballard was brought down by Ben Freeman.

Lee crashed his first effort against the bar, only to do exactly the same with the rebound!

At the other end, John Mitchell flashed a header wide from Jon Gardner's cross.

On 28 minutes, Thame should have been ahead, only for former City striker John Mitchell to fire horribly wide after racing into the box.

Minutes later, City took the lead when Simpson headed over keeper Steve Smith from Julian Dark's excellent cross from the left.

Robin Antonowicz, who was superb at the heart of City's defence, saw a header cleared off the line as City almost grabbed another goal before the break.

Thame came out fired up for the second half, but it was City who soon had them on the back foot again, with Simpson making it 2-0 with his second goal of the game.

Thame failed to clear the ball in the area and the frontman turned well before firing home.

And only a great clearance from Gardner denied Chris Harper City's third.

Minutes later though, Thame were back in the game when Alex Stewart's through ball allowed Mitchell to score.

And Benbow's point-blank save prevented Mitchell from equalising after he latched onto Mark Jones's pass.

However, Thame probably should have levelled, but Mark Avery somehow headed over after Stewart flicked on James Saulsbury's free-kick.

Thame thought they should have had a penalty when Dark appeared to push Gardner in the area, but the referee waved play on.

Late on, tempers frayed when Thame substitute and player-manager Mark West tried to kick the ball out of Benbow's hands after the keeper had bravely dived at his feet.

Oxford C: Benbow, Cruse, Dark, Antonowicz, Brown, Lee, Harper, Ballard, Ferreira (Prescott 82), Simpson (Baker 75), Crosby. Subs not used: Champelovier, Doyle, Perkins.

Thame Utd: Smith, Gardner, Perna (Goffe 82), Saulsbury, Williams, Avery, Freeman, Mitchell (West 75), Merritt, MC Jones, Stewart (Franklin 82). Subs not used: Hocking, Barisic.

Attendance: 301.