City quality shows in thriller

Oxford City overcame defensive inefficiencies and howling rain to eventually get past a resilient Marlow and move into the First Round of the FA Trophy.

In what turned out to be a thriller of a cup tie, City went behind twice, at 1-0 and 3-2, with goalkeeper Laurie Walker at fault on both occasions. But the extra quality eventually told, with Bradley Bubb and Marlon Jackson both scoring twice.

With Darren Pond injured, on loan Mo Fofana not available for the FA Trophy and four others dropping to the bench, Justin Merritt made six changes to the side that lost to Gosport Borough last weekend. Bubb was back in the side following injury (and an appearance off the bench in that match), Jon Arzumendi returned from suspension, whilst David King, Julen Lafuente, Reece Fleet and Kynan Isaac were also restored to starting line-up.

Marlon Jackson, back at the club after being released by Tranmere Rovers, had to settle for a place on the bench, but would go on to make an impact when he came on early in the second half.

Despite Marlow being two leagues below City, and only seventeenth in the Southern League Division One South & West, they were warey of a tough test. And if any of the players didn’t realise it, they soon did.

Little more than two minutes in, Walker took his time on the ball after receiving a back pass, but Marcus Mealing, who recently rejoined the club after leaving Thatcham, punished him for taking too long, dispossessing him and putting the ball in the back of the net.

Slowly City recomposed themselves, and soon drew level, with Bubb scoring his first goal following his injury, coming in from the left side, getting round a defender as they slipped to the ground, and fired a shot low past the keeper Simon Grant.

The momentum was going only one way, and an obvious faultline in the Marlow set up became apparent. They appeared to be playing three at the back, or at least playing the full backs narrow. This gave Luke Coulson, one of City’s stars of the season, the freedom of the right wing.

The ball had passed through him in the slow build-up towards Bubb’s equaliser, and after a couple of failed attempts Coulson was able to set up a goal, crossing in for Fleet to give the home side the lead.

It was a hole that again and again City were able to run the ball through, yet their failure to get another goal would have frustrated them, especially after Marlow equalised five minutes before half time. With a now rare foray forward, the visitors came level as Mealing found Jordace Holder-Spooner, who got round Walker to score into an empty net.

By this point it had started to rain, and at times in the second half it got particularly heavy. Fortunately, it did nothing to ruin the entertainment that was unfolding.

Marlow had gone in at the break level against the run of play, and were back in front five minutes afterwards.

It was another defensive howler, as Walker came rushing out of his goal, despite King being in control of the ball a little way outside the box. The two got their wires crossed, and there was Mealing to snatch the ball again, with an empty net to take aim at once he worked his way into his spot.

Unsurprisingly though it didn’t take too long for City to come level again, with Isaac dipping the ball over Grant to bring the score to 3-3 nine minutes later.

And slowly but surely, they began to take the game away from the lower league side.

After Isaac was brought down by Sam Bangura near the corner flag, the resulting free kick presented an opportunity for any one of the City players in the box, but it was Jackson who eventually connected to put his side in front once again.

Following chances for defenders Andriu Santiago and Paul Stonehouse, Jackson had a chance for a second from a Coulson cross, couldn’t quite connect, but Bubb made no mistake in making it 5-3.

And then after Declan Benjamin had a long range effort saved by Grant, Jackson was well placed to score from the rebound to seal his return to Marsh Lane.

So in the end a successful afternoon in the rain for City, even if it was pretty jittery at times. They go through to the First Round in two weeks time, with the possibility of a National League (Premier) side and a chance to see how they compare.

But make no mistake, it won’t always be so easy to overcome a howler or two.

Oxford City: Walker, King (Lapoujade 74’), Stonehouse, Lafuente (Benjamin 69’), Arzumendi, Santiago, Coulson, Fleet, McDonagh (Jackson 56’), Bubb, Isaac. UNUSED SUBS: Pifarre Forner, Sterling-James.
Marlow: Grant, Ushiro-Lumb, Lofthouse-Smith (Parker 88’), Bangura, Salmon, Richards, D. Romeo, Welch (Y. Romeo 83’), Mealing, Holder-Spooner, Peacock (Otudeko 69’). UNUSED SUBS: Chandler, McCulley.

Attendance: 177