VT FC 0
Oxford City 1 (Janes 58)
Mark Janes was Oxford City’s hero as they booked their place in today’s third qualifying round draw with a narrow victory on the south coast in the FA Cup 2nd qualifying round.
City set out their stall from the first whistle, taking the game to their high-flying Zamaretto League Division 1 South & West hosts, who are unbeaten in the league.
Early on, Darren Pond just failed to connect with a Mark Bell corner, but City had all the early possession as they forced three corners in quick succession.
Andy Baird went close with a header from another corner, while at the other end, Marvin McLean could only fire wide on one of the home side’s rare attacks.
A neat passing move from City saw Janes’s dangerous strike take a deflection for a corner.
In the second half, VT’s Marc Diaper curled a free-kick wide of an upright.
For City, Liam Malone put a header just wide, before he forced home keeper Scott O’Rourke to turn a close-range shot around a post for another corner.
From Bell’s flag kick came the winning goal.
His teasing cross saw Janes outjump the home defence to head in.
City continued to dominate, and the home side rarely trouble Richard Knight in the visitors’ goal.
The winning margin hardly reflected City’s control of the game, but they comfortably held on and await today’s draw with interest.
Oxford City: Knight, Clarke, Perpetuini, Savage, Pond, Gunn, Bell (Alexis 80), Malone, Baird, Steele, Janes (Brooks 75). Sub not used: Morris
Attendance: 234
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