OXFORD City recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory at Bishop’s Stortford to all but confirm their survival in Vanarama National League South, writes RYAN BRATLEY.

A crisp strike from Ezra Forde and a Scott Davies penalty were enough for City to prevail at the expense of the division’s basement team.

Having seen his side narrowly beaten by Poole last weekend, boss Mark Jones made a number of changes to his starting line-up.

Guri Demuria made his debut at centre half, while Forde and Kaiman Anderson partnered each other up front.

The visitors came close to scoring twice within the opening two minutes.

Forde saw a header well-saved almost directly from kick-off while Demuria’s volley from the resulting corner was cleared off the line.

Stortford had a chance midway through the half, but Correy Davidson’s powerful effort sailed over Craig Hill’s bar.

City broke the deadlock in the 44th minute when Freddie Grant’s ball found Forde on the edge of the area.

The 17-year-old striker did well to hold off a defender before placing a left-footed strike into the bottom corner.

Jones’s side emerged for the second half with a new formation, packing the midfield as they looked to play a more patient, possession-oriented game.

With the hosts failing to threaten, City doubled their lead from the spot after Wilson Carvalho was brought down in the box in the 65th minute.

Davies blasted home the penaltyvia the underside of the bar.

Carvalho could have got on the scoresheet himself late on, cutting in from the left before drilling a shot narrowly wide of the far post.

The victory should see City clear of the relegation battle, putting them 11 points above the drop zone.

Oxford City: Hill, Essuman (Abiola-Daramola HT), Grant, Davies, Henderson, Demuria, Carvalho, Fleet (Furlong 66), Forde, Anderson (Louis 66), Poku. Subs not used: Peake-Pijnen, Ngathe.

Attendance: 225.