Oxford City 2, Braintree Tn 0 OXFORD City produced some of their best football of the season to see off Braintree and ease their Ryman League Division 1 relegation worries at Court Place Farm on Saturday.

The home side dominated from start to finish, and it was only brilliant goalkeeping by former Brighton player Nicky Rust, and City's inability to finish, which saved the visitors from a much heavier defeat.

The Braintree side, packed with Football League experience and out to impress a new manager appointed in midweek, were forced to defend from the start.

M- Matt Hayward header from Matt Whitehead's free kick was inches wide, and Dwaine Strong rounded Rust only for successive shots from Stewart McCleary and Terry Sweeney to be cleared off the line.

Strong was causing all sorts of problems to the visitors. He was upended after running from half-way before setting up McCleary to cross for Shaun Wimble, who mis-kicked in front of goal. Five minutes from the break, Strong raced 50 yards to find Julian Dark, whose piledriver from outside the area was brilliantly tipped over.

The visitors escaped again in the 50th minute when Strong collected McCleary's pass, only to shoot over.

But in the 57th minute, City at last found a way through as Whitehead got forward to meet a cross from the left and sent his header high past a helpless Rust.

City were out of luck again when Andy Smith's header rebounded off the inside of a post back into Rust's arms.

Rust made two excellent one-on-one saves to deny first McCleary and then Strong, while at the other end, Alan Foster's only real action of the game saw him turn over a shot from Brown. With five minutes left, City clinched the three points in fine style. Strong tricked three defenders and crossed perfectly to the far post where the impressive McCleary rose to head home.

Oxford City: Foster, Smart, Dark, Whitehead, Hayward, Smith, Rose, Sweeney, McCleary, Strong, Wimble. Subs not used: Hulbert, Davy, Lee.

Referee: B McClaren (Woking).

Attendance: 141

SNOW and frost is threatening City's Full Members Cup second-round tie at Aylesbury United tomorrow night. City are expected to field a number of their first-team fringe players.

Story date: Monday 20 December

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