Premier Division
Langford 1 Oxford City 3
Saturday, 08 April 2006
It was a sunny but windy Forde Park and a larger than average crowd had gathered to welcome a visit from the League leaders. Oxford City traveled to Bedfordshire with an unbeaten record of sixteen away League matches. The home side in comparison had just one home win in the last thirteen home League games.
Langford were once again forced into a changed side and fielded Dean Warren in the forward line, his first game in club colours since early December. Both sides struggled with the uneven bounce of the pitch not made any easier by the swirling wind. The home side could have claimed an early lead with Marc Holmes ballooning his effort over the bar from eights yards and then firing wide after a spell of Langford pressure. Oxford came back strongly and forced Adam Lawrence into a couple of good saves.
The visitors began to have the better of the half but chances were few and far between. Justin Miller, a regular goal scorer of late, dragged his shot wide when perhaps he should have hit the target. For the home side Dean Warren looked in good from and was prepared to take on the City defense. His best moment came eight minutes before the break as he latched onto a Deep Banghard pass to bring out a good save from Wilkins. One minute later the action switched to the other end as Laurence Revell gave away a free kick on the edge of the area but Justin Miller was wide with his effort. Ht, 0-0.
Oxford certainly began the second the brighter of the two sides as Harry Burnley headed over from a Justin Miller cross and then brought out a good save from Adam Lawrence with a good shot following a quickly taken free kick. The Reds looked sluggish after the break and were punished in the fiftieth minute when Ray Spence took advantage of Adam Lawrence's inexperience in goal, as the young custodian misjudgment gave the Oxford forward the chance to round him with the ball and finish into an empty net. Lee Pateman, a very late call up from the reserve game at St Neots Town was brought on to replace Clive Woodland and did not look out of place in first team action.
Six minutes later and it was Ray Spence on target again as he latched onto a defense splitting pass to fire home past the exposed Lawrence. Oxford were now in the ascendancy and only a smart save from Lawrence denied Adam Durrant making it a three goal advantage. Dean Warren was still looking dangerous for the home side and looked to be brought down as he made a piercing run into the City area but penalty appeals were waived away. Warren was also unlucky as his header from a Robert Groves corner flashed across the face of the Oxford goal. On sixty five minutes Spence looked to be on for his hat trick as he got through the Reds defense again but the angle proved too much and his shot ended in the side netting. Langford did pull one back with fourteen minutes remaining as Robert Groves fired home from the penalty spot after the referee had spotted a hand ball from an Oxford defender.
Ray Spence was proving a real problem for the Reds defense bringing out another good save from Lawrence after the tricky forward had jinked his way into a shooting position past a number of seemingly entranced defenders. Dean Warren looked to have achieved a Langford equaliser but his lob over the advancing keeper cleared the crossbar as well. In the final minutes Ray Spence finally claimed the hat trick he had been threatening throughout the second half. He teased and tormented the Reds defense without a tackle in sight before making himself a shooting opportunity that gave Lawrence no chance. Ft, 1-3.
With this result and other teams around them picking up useful points the Reds are still firmly ensconced in the relegation dogfight. The past three home games have not produced a goal from open play and for next weekend's visit of Biggleswade Town, themselves not yet clear of the drop, that situation must be rectified if the Reds are to claim the maximum points required.
Langford;
Adam Lawrence, Laurence Revell, Deep Banghard; Damon Hazelwood Sam Luhman;; Joe Delesalle, Matt Hulett, Wayne Goldsmith, Clive Woodland, Dean Warren; Marc Holmes; Robert Groves.
SUBS USED; Lee Pateman for Clive Woodland (52), Tim Andrews for Joe Delasalle (61), Sam Luhman for Damon Hazelwood (67),
SUBS NOT USED; Grant Beckwith
Oxford City;
Carl Wilkins; Adam Pilling, Paul Bedwell, Andy Marriott, Lewis Cracker, Adam Durrant, Luke Brandon, Harry Burnley, , Justin Miller, Ray Spence, John Gardner,
SUBS USED; Danny Keen for Justin Miller (70), Chris Potter for John Gardner (74)
SUBS NOT USED; Stuart Douglas, Justin Merritt, Mark Jones
GOALS
Langford; Robert Groves (76 pen)
Oxford City; Ray Spence (50, 56, 87)
Bookings & Sending off;
Langford; Matt Hulett (b, 81)
Oxford City; Adam Durrant (b, 58)
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