Oxford Utd 4

(Ashby 48, Marsh 65, Pittman 96, Roberts 120)

Oxford City 2

(Cook pen 25, Barcelos 68)

(after extra time)

It took goals from Jon-Paul Pittman and James Roberts in extra time for Oxford United to finally see off a determined Oxford City and lift the Oxfordshire Senior Cup.

The higher-ranked side’s superior fitness and cutting edge proved the difference in the end, but they were pushed all the way at the Kassam Stadium last night.

City were the more coherent side in the first half.

Jamie Cook hit the woodwork twice before putting them ahead from the penalty spot on 25 minutes after he had been brought down by goalkeeper Max Crocombe.

United did not get going until after the break.

Josh Ashby levelled with a low shot three minutes after the restart, and Tyrone Marsh put them ahead midway through the half.

City hit back to level almost immediately when Felipe Barcelos got the better of Sam Long to score.

Neither side could find a winner before the end of 90 minutes, sending the game into extra time.

As legs tired, Pittman, who is out of contract this summer, restored the lead six minutes into the first half, and Roberts sealed the victory with virtually the last kick of the game.

U’s assistant manager Mickey Lewis, who was in charge of the hosts, was delighted to see a side containing six teenagers in the starting XI stand up to the challenge.

He said: “It was an entertaining game and a tough one, I thought Oxford City were really good, especially early on. “In the end it opened up a bit and I think we took our goals well.

“These are the kind of games our youngsters need to play in, and it was good to see them take on men, who are physical, but also good players.

“I thought all the kids did really well, but Josh Ashby was outstanding.”

City boss Mike Ford was left to rue missed chances, but had no complaints over the performance.

“I said to the players after the game there were people turning up who had probably never seen us play before, but I think they walked away thinking we are a decent football side,” he said.

“On the night United’s clinical finishing was the difference, we missed too many chances to warrant a win.

“Both teams had a real go, I should imagine (U’s manager) Chris Wilder will have learnt something about his younger players and with us it just confirmed what I already knew – we never give up.”

HOW THEY LINED UP

Oxford Utd: Crocombe, Davies, Long, Capaldi, Lynn (Humphreys 77), Pittman, Heslop (Roberts 99), Ashby, O’Dowda, Marsh, Constable. Subs not used: Hill, Smalley, Rigg.

Oxford City: Townsend, Benjamin, Learoyd, Willmott, Stonehouse, Pond, Ballard (McNish 64), Malone, Bell (Stanley 74), Barcelos (Basham 69), Cook. Subs not used: Gunn, McEachran.

Attendance: 901.