Oxford City 5 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 102/21/1966 - Saturday, 5th March 2022 - National League South

Oxford City (2) 5 Ashby 13,20 O'Donker 60 Iaciofano 82 Clark 90+1
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 402
Admission: £8 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 222/5,855

I should possibly have guessed that when stepping through my front gate to walk the dog and getting immediately drowned by a car splashing through a big puddle that it was not going to be my day. Perhaps I should have heeded the omen and gone back to bed!

If all the ducks were perfectly aligned, Tonbridge Angels trip to third placed Oxford City was always going to be a big ask but when your goalkeeper is sent off after just 10 minutes, and there is no substitute keeper on the bench, the task becomes virtually impossible.

A punt forward saw Jonny Henly advance beyond his box, one would presume to head the ball clear as an Oxford attacker closed him down. Unfortunately for Henly, the ball failed to bounce high enough off the artificial surface and, instinctively, he leaned his shoulder in towards the ball. From a distance, it was difficult for me to know exactly where the ball struck his body, but in fairness, there was little dispute with the decision to show him a red card.

Jamie Fielding bravely stepped forward to take the jersey, commenting after the game that being a good fielder at cricket in his youth was his only qualification for taking on role between the sticks. His first act as custodian was to pick the ball out of the net as the resultant free kick from Josh Ashby was despatched into the bottom corner beyond his despairing dive.

Fielding’s next touch of the ball was a carbon copy of the first. A free kick conceded in a similar position after 19 minutes was curled over the wall by Ashby giving him very little chance. At this stage, two words featured heavily in conversation among the Angels’ support, damage limitation.

And in fairness, they largely achieved this objective in the run-up to the break. Fielding rose in confidence as he successfully collected a cross and just past the half-hour the home goalkeeper was pressed into action emerging with the ball following a scramble within the six yard box.

Fielding used his feet to good effect, five minutes before the break, blocking twice before the ball was blazed over.

There was little that could be said or done by Steve McKimm that would change the course of events in the second period. Fielding continued with his heroics when saving, before seeing the return shot hit a post and a third effort only finding the side netting. But the respite was short and Oxford added a third after Fielding had done well to parry a shot low to this left, but Gatlin O’Donker was on hand to tuck home the rebound.

Two goals in the last 10 minutes made the scoreline a hard one to take and a clear penalty appeal for handball that was turned away by the referee just about summed up the afternoon.

One of those that you just have to hold up your hands and move on, bit like myself and the dog after the puddle!