OXFORD City have been fined £100 by the Ryman League for fielding an understrength side against Aylesbury United in the Full Members Cup - even though they won the game 2-1.

Bemused City manager Paul Lee said: "I find it strange that we have been fined when we won the game. I could understand it if we had lost."

Lee, who made nine changes for the Aylesbury clash, is making sure City don't get caught out again as he names a strong squad for tonight's third-round tie at Croydon.

The prize for the winners is a home semi-final against Bromley.

Missing tonight for City will be midfielder Gavin Rose, who is on a week's trial with Bell's Scottish League side Greenock Morton.

Skipper Matt Hayward, striker Jason Davy and midfielder Justin Lee remain sidelined through injury.

Meanwhile, City's semi-final opponents in the Ryman League Cup - providing they beat Barton Rovers in their replay next Tuesday - will be Farnborough Town and not Heybridge Swifts. Heybridge, who beat Farnborough 7-2 in the quarter-finals, have been thrown out for fielding an ineligible player, Paulo David, with the Hampshire club reinstated.

Remarkably, it's the second time Farnborough have benefited from their opponents breaking the competition's rules.

They were preparing for a replay with Hitchin earlier this season when the Hertfordshire club were thrown out.

Oxford City: from Foster, Smart, Peirson, Thorp, Dark, Smith, Sweeney, Strong, McCleary, Wimble, Wise, Whitehead, Potter, Mannering.

Story date: Wednesday 09 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.