Premier Division
Oxford City 2 Hillingdon Borough 3
Tuesday, 21 March 2006
Hillingdon Borough moved to within 3 points of tonight's opponents at the top of the League, with a superb second half performance that blows the title chase wide open.
Recent League games have seen Oxford opening with early goals and dominating from the start, whilst Hillingdon appear to begin much slower but build to a crescendo. With this in mind, this exhilarating fixture played out according to form as the Home team raced to a 2 goal lead, only for Borough to peg them back and overhaul Oxford with ample time to spare.
Oxford played well form the outset, hitting their 2 pacy front men early and keeping the Borough defence busy and on the back foot. Hillingdon appeared to have weathered the early storm, but were instrumental in conceding the first goal as Ryan Wharton's intended pass to Daryl Craft was intercepted.
Hillingdon had committed men forward, so the cover was not in place as the ball found ray Spence on Oxford's right wing. He accelerated clear and hit a low cross into the path of John Mitchell who had a simple task of slotting the ball home from 6 yards.
Moments later, Spence again caused havoc; his jinking run left Borough defenders flat footed and as he cut inside he hit a powerful shot to beat Keeper Ben Harris.
2 goals in as many minutes and it now seemed that Hillingdon would be on the end of an embarrassing evening's result. Thankfully, these 2 strikes galvanised the Visitors and they came back into the tie with vengeance.
Hillingdon at last started to compete and although not too many chances were created, it was now Hillingdon calling the 'shots'. Their just reward came from Ryan Wharton who scored with a close range reactive header on the half hour. With the score at 2-1 the game became am end to end affair and a fine spectacle for those watching.
After the break Boro came out with the bit between their teeth. Playing a longer game and hitting the front men early looked to have unsettled Oxford defenders. The Home team sat deeper and deeper with Hillingdon pushing on to get a justified 2nd goal. Daryl Craft went close on 2 occasions with good shots from outside the box, but in reality all he was doing was getting his 'sights' adjusted for his equalising goal.
From yet another Boro corner-kick, the ball went out for a throw. Nick Rundell took it quickly and Chris Hibbs played the ball early to Craft; he moved to his right and unleashed a thunderbolt 25 yarder of a shot ? the home Keeper could do no more than watch the ball as it screamed passed him.
2-2 now and Oxford looked like a team devoid of ideas or plans. Borough kept at their task and the deserved winner finally arrived. Late in the game Boro were awarded yet another corner-kick; this time the ball stayed in the penalty area and after some head tennis, Hibbs scrambled the ball over the line with his head and to make an 86th minute claim to 3 valuable points.
With over 5 minutes played of extra time, Oxford threw every thing at Boro ? even their Keeper became a striker! but Hillingdon with stood all and took a step closer to Oxford in the Premier Division race.
Boro Team: HARRIS, BROWN, RUNDELL KIDSON, PHILLIPS, CRAFT [FENTON] LAWRENCE, DUNCAN, TILBURY, HIBBS [O'GRADY], WHARTON
Goal scorers; Wharton 29th; Craft 67th; Hibbs 86th
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