Oxford City’s lingering fears that they may yet be relegated from Conference North were dispelled yesterday when the Football Association threw out an appeal by Hayes & Yeading United.

Hayes fell out of the Conference South last month following a dramatic final-day home defeat by Dover Athletic.

However, Phil Babb’s side moved to try and save themselves from the drop by appealing to the FA.

They claimed that as Vauxhall Motors tendered their resignation from Conference North last March, they should have remained at that level of non-League football rather than City.

Their argument was based on the fact that they ended the campaign on 45 points, eight more than City, in their respective divisions.

But the FA rejected their appeal.

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