OXFORD City failed to carry their momentum from the Emirates FA Cup into the league, as they fell to a 2-0 defeat in tricky conditions at Hemel Hempstead Town, writes RYAN BRATLEY.

Reece Fleet saw a penalty saved as Mark Jones’s side slipped to second from bottom in Vanarama National League South.

The previous week, City had reached the first round of the Cup with a victory over Bognor Regis Town, but they could not end their poor run of results in the league.

Swirling winds and a sloping pitch made it tricky for both sides.

Hemel took a 21st-minute lead through Charlie Sheringham, the striker wriggling in from the left, before powering a shot past keeper Jack Stevens

The hosts should have doubled their lead in the 25th minute, when a driven cross found the head of an unmarked Tom Day, only for the defender to direct the ball further away from goal.

A rare City corner found Ezra Forde, who nodded over before Hemel’s Jordan Parkes drilled an effort over the bar in first-half stoppage time.

Jones made two half-time changes, Zac McEachran and Horatio Hirst replacing strike partners Forde and Matt Paterson.

But City fell further behind, when Spencer McCall’s curling effort went into the far bottom corner to make it 2-0 in the 51st minute.

Parkes almost added a third shortly afterwards with a long-range effort which cannoned off the inside of a post.

Fleet had a chance to bring City back into the game from the penalty spot in the 65th minute after Hirst had been fouled by former City stopper Laurie Walker in the Hemel goal.

But goalkeeper made amends with a superb save.

The visitors spurned another good chance in the 84th minute when Rob Sinclair put McEachran through on goal. The forward rounded the keeper but failed to beat the defenders on the line.

Oxford City: Stevens, Jones, Navarro, Poku (Welch-Hayes 72), Henderson, Oastler, Sinclair, Fleet, Paterson (Hirst HT), Forde (McEachran HT), Pearce. Subs not used: Grant, Tutton.

Attendance: 449.