OXFORD City recovered from their New Year’s Day defeat by Gloucester City as they ran out 2-1 winners at Hungerford Town on Saturday, writes PATRICK LOCK.

Matt Paterson and Rob Sinclair put the visitors 2-0 up at the break,

And although Nicholas Bignall got one back for Hungerford, City held out for a win that takes them seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Mark Jones’s side had the better of the chances early on.

They went close when a corner was flicked on to Paterson, who struck a powerful first-time shot which crashed against the bar.

However, the striker did open the scoring on the half-hour when he thrashed the ball into the top corner of the net from 20 yards.

Joe Oastler went close to doubling the lead ten minutes later, but his left-foot shot hit a post.

The lead was eventually doubled on the stroke of half-time as Zac McEachran found Sinclair in space in the box.

The midfielder, who was named the Vanarama National League South player of the month for December, fired a left-foot shot past Marcus Beauchamp in the Hungerford goal.

The hosts came out for the second half in determined mood and caused problems with a series of corners.

They pulled a goal back on the hour when a clearance to the edge of the box was driven back and ricocheted off a City defender before falling to Bignall, who smashed home.

Just three minutes later, City were thanking keeper Jack Stevens for preserving their lead.

From another corner, Luke Hopper fired the ball towards the top of the net, only for Stevens to get up well and palm it over.

City were able to weather the remainder of the storm to earn an important win.

Oxford City: J Stevens, Jones, Grant, Poku, Navarro, Oastler, McEachran (C Stevens 80), Fofana (Fleet HT), Paterson, Sinclair, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Forde 80)

Attendance: 282.