Omari Sterling-James netted a second-half brace as Oxford City breezed into the third qualifying round of the with a comfortable victory over Shortwood United, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

Bradley Bubb fired City in front from the penalty spot before the break and Sterling-James made it two shortly after the restart.

Andy Lewis scored a penalty for the visitors, but Sterling-James ensured there would be no shock comeback by restoring the home side’s two-goal advantage.

City but lacked the quality to really worry the Evo-Stik Southern League visitors for the first 30 minutes.

Luke Coulson went closes, clipping the top of the bar with a curling shot from a narrow angle.

The hosts needed a penalty to get them off the mark in the 30th minute, Bubb firing low into the left-hand corner after Kynan Isaac had been tripped by Sam Rawlings.

City could have had a second spot-kick four minutes later when Sterling-James was hauled down in the area, but referee Neil Hair was in no mood to award another.

Julen Lafuente should have doubled City’s lead, somehow contriving to fire back across the face of goal from six yards after he was picked out by Isaac.

Shortwood should have equalised just after the break when Liam Meredith got the wrong side of the defence. City keeper Laurie Walker blocked his initial effort, with the striker then heading the rebound over the bar.

His miss proved costly as City doubled their lead just minutes later when Bubb scythed through the Shortwood defence before laying it off for Sterling-James to calmly slot home.

The visitors’ response was swift and just three minutes later they had a penalty of their own for a foul on Meredith, coolly despatched by Lewis.

But Bubb and Sterling-James combined again with the latter adding City’s third.

Shortwood were unable to force an opening despite playing against ten men for the final minutes after Lee Henderson was forced off with an ankle injury.

Oxford City: Walker, King, Arzamendi, Pond (Benjamin 62), Henderson, Fleet, Coulson, Sterling-James (Mukendi 62), Bubb (McDonagh 62), Lafuente, Isaac. Subs not used: Stonehouse, Pifarré, Del Alamo, Hill.

Attendance: 201.