AFTER two vastly contrasting games, Oxford City Stars beat Bristol Pitbulls to reach the English National League South Division 2 play-off finals day.

Due to Pitbulls using Oxford as their base this season, both quarter-final legs were played atOxpens.

In their official home leg on Saturday, Bristol gave the league champions a real run for their money, losing only 4-3.

But it was a different story next day when Stars romped to a 10-1 win to secure a place in the play-off semi-finals at Bracknell this Saturday with a 14-4 aggregate victory.

They will now Chelmsford Chieftains in the last four.

Head coach Kenny Redmond, said: “The first leg was a typical play-off game. It was like a cup final, really tight and a great battle.

“But in the second leg we took our game to another level and outclassed Bristol. In the end they couldn’t cope with us.”

“The victory came at a cost as we’ve lost Mike Whillock and Stuart Tait to injuries and they will be out for the play-off weekender, which is a real blow as they have been excellent for us.

“We’ve been blighted by injuries all season, so we will have to dig deep again.

“The strength of character within the squad and across the club is first class, so we will be ready to go one more time this weekend.”

In the first leg, Josh Oliver gave Stars a sixth minute lead, but two goals in 22 seconds at the start of the second period from Giacome Raffaelli and Sam Shone put Bristol ahead.

Oxford regained the lead with quick strikes at the end of the period from Conor Redmond and Dom Hopkins.

It looked like being a 3-3 draw, but Matt Lawday gave Stars a crucial edge by netting in the last two minutes.

The second leg was one-way traffic as Stars raced into a 3-0 lead in the first period through Oliver, Darren Elliott and Redmond.

In the second period, they ran riot with four goals in four minutes from Joe Edwards, Oliver, Andrew Cox and Theo Bundock before Lawday made it 8-0.

Cox, in a fitting finale to his career at Oxford, and Josh Florey added salt into the wound with goals in the final period, before Adrian Smith got a consolation for the visitors.