Oxford City 0

Mangotsfield Utd 1 (Page 24)

Oxford City’s miserable start to the season continued with defeat by Mangotsfield United at Court Place Farm on Saturday in the FA Cup 1st qualifying round.

Still without a win after seven games in the Zamaretto Southern League Premier Division, Mike Fords’s side hit a new low as they fell to their Division 1 South & West visitors.

City posed the first threats, with Dan Holman denied by a decent save from Danny Greaves, before the Mangotsfield keeper held on Harry Harding’s effort.

But it was Mangotsfiield who made the breakthrough in the 24th minute with what proved to be the decisive goal.

Richard Knight could only push away Tom Knighton’s shot from the edge of the area, and Matthew Page fired home the rebound.

Greaves came to Mangotsfield’s rescue again when he denied Mark Janes and Elliott Sandy.

At the other end, Andy Gurney blazed a free-kick high over the City bar.

City were in the ascendancy at the start of the second half, and Harding went close to connecting with Janes’s cross.

Harding then got his head to a centre, but Greaves turned his effort over the bar. City had a scare when Gurney planted a header against their bar.

Janes had City’s best chance to snatch an equaliser, but his attempt flew over the bar, and with it went his side’s hopes of emulating last year’s FA Cup exploits when they reached the first round.

Oxford City: R Knight, Hector, Kinch, Savage, Clarke, Mills, Janes, Malone, Sandy (Faulkner 67), Holman (Bell 45), Harding, Subs not used: J Knight, Davis.

Referee: M Rushton (Pewsey).

Attendance: 155.