OXFORD United Women’s impressive 32-game unbeaten home run in the league came to an end with a defeat against Hashtag United.

Sammy Rowland’s first half double gave the visitors a two-goal advantage, with Iesha Swaby grabbing a late consolation as the U’s looked to salvage their proud home record.

United struggled to build attacks from the back due to Hashtag’s press, and were pinned back for the majority of the first half.

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Paris Sercombe made some good claims in the U’s goal though, while youngster Cecily Wellesley-Smith defended well against a lively Hashtag forward line.

However, two goals in five minutes at the end of the first half gave United a difficult task in the second period.

Rowland opened the scoring for the away side with a driven effort into the bottom left corner, before she doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time with a chipped shot over Sercombe.

U’s interim boss George Anthony introduced Swaby for Lacy-Jai Liggett shortly after the restart, as the hosts enjoyed the first sight of goal in the second half.

In-form Zoe Barratt had a decent chance down the left, however Courtney Lumley got back well to get a block in.

Sarah King was then replaced by Izzy Cook, as United enjoyed their best spell of the game in the final 20 minutes.

Swaby span two defenders superbly and smashed the crossbar from 20 yards out, before Cook saw a left-footed effort from range tipped round the post by Frankie Angel in the Hashtag goal.

With two minutes to go, the U’s pulled a goal back when Swaby tapped home from close range after Wellesley-Smith saw a strike saved.

Anthony said after the game: “It was disappointing, we didn’t start the game fast enough and the intensity we wanted wasn’t there.

“It’s something as a group we identified in the last 30 minutes of the game and it was much better, and closer to where we wanted it to be.

“That last 30 minutes was much better in terms of how we were playing and in the attacking third, but we just left it a little bit too late.

“That’s something we need to look at and work on, and make sure we’re doing that a lot earlier in the game.”

He added: “We were under pressure for large periods and I thought we did well. Conceding was a blow for us and the opposition made it really difficult for us.”

United are back in action in National League Southern Premier with a trip to Rugby Borough on Wednesday evening.

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