OXFORD City let slip a 2-0 half-time lead as they lost 3-2 at home to Billericay Town on Saturday.

Still without a league win in 2019, Mark Jones’s side were on track to pick up three points in the Vanarama National League South clash.

But their hosts roared back after the break to secure victory in a thrilling match which saw City hit both post and bar in injury time, as well as having a goal ruled out for offside.

After a slow start, the game exploded into life in the latter stages of the opening period.

A mix-up between Lloyd Doyley and visiting keeper Alan Julian allowed City striker Kabongo Tshimanga to walk the ball into an empty net on 36 minutes.

Brandon Thomas-Asante was then denied by a superb Julian save two minutes before half-time.

But City still managed to lead 2-0 at the break when Tshimanga scored on the stroke of the interval.

However, three goals in 11 second-half minutes saw the visitors waste little time in hitting back.

Moses Emmanuel made it 2-1 on 58 minutes, with a smart finish inside the near post.

Billericay were level just three minutes later when Jamar Loza took advantage of a mistake from home defender Joel Dielna to lob Craig King.

And on 68 minutes the visitors went ahead when Joe Kizzi rose to head home.

The goalscorer picked up a second yellow card three minutes later to give City hope of an equaliser.

And the hosts could not have come closer in injury time.

Josh Ashby’s 20-yard strike hammered against the bar, with Tshimanga’s follow-up hitting a post.

And then with almost the final kick, Thomas-Asante thought he had scored, only to be foiled by an offside flag as City’s wait for a league win this year goes on.

Oxford City: King, Jones, Dielna, Ashby, Moore-Azille, Oastler, Wiltshire, Self (Fasanmade 88), Tshimanga, Thomas-Asante, Bawling. Subs not used: Caro, Case, O’Donoghue, Barrett