Kidlington and Hayes &Yeading

Posted by Claire on December 20, 2007, 10:06 am

Allied Counties League Premier Division Monday 17th December 2007
Hayes and Yeading Utd (1)2
Oxford City (0)1 (Forbes 50)

City were unlucky to come away from Hayes with nothing to show for a committed and skilful performance.

A City side who put in a much-improved display compared to the previous game against Kidlington more than matched Hayes, champions for the past three seasons and top of the table again this year, and deserved at least a point.

Hayes and Yeading took the game to City in the early stages but City, with Simon Reeves outstanding at the back, restricted them to long-range shots. Hayes took the lead in the 12th minute with an extremely fortunate goal. A Hayes player was performed an obvious dive in the penalty area, but with the referee signaling that it was a dive and most of the players waiting to see what action he would take, a speculative shot took a huge deflection and crept inside the post.

City became more composed as the game progressed. With Lawrence El Kassir and Luke Connell controlling the midfield, Reeves and Mitchell Meredith commanding at the back, Kyle Harris overlapping to great effect from right-back and Corey Forbes his usual inventive self upfront, they dominated the middle period of the game and were unlucky not to go in at half-time on level terms.

City gained their reward in the 50th minute when Forbes, put through by Reeves, showed a trademark piece of skill to lob the keeper from 35 yards.

City were the better team but could not find another goal, and were caught out with 20 minutes to go when a clearing header from a free-kick struck a Hayes forward and was driven home.

City rallied and pressed for the equaliser but luck was not on their side.

This was an excellent performance by the whole City side and more of the same will see them climb the table in the New Year.

Team: Alex Williams (capt) – Kyle Harris, Simon Reeves, Mitchell Meredith, Joe Bull – Tom Holmes, Luke Connell, Lawrence El Kassir, Jon Gotch – Corey Forbes (sub Richard Higgs 71 min), Dominic Bruno



Allied Counties League Premier Division Wednesday 12th December 2007
Oxford City (0)0
Kidlington (1)1

A young City side missing several regulars lost to a battling Kidlington team at Court Place Farm.

City tried to attack from the off, but Kidlington defended in numbers and City spurned more than one attempt to provide a telling cross.

Kidlington seized the initiative and scored the game’s only goal in the 24th minute when Spiers forced the ball home on the goal-line despite pleas for offside. City really should have cleared the ball moments earlier put paid for indecision at the back.

City’s best chance of the night came seconds after the goal when Corey Forbes saw his shot cannon back off the post.

City seemed to be unable to string two passes together on a bitterly cold night when both sides’ play lacked cohesion and they looked a dispirited side at the break. The second half saw City with renewed spirit and Dominic Bruno put in several good crosses.

The game became increasingly broken up with more than half of the Kidlington side going down with cramp at one point or another and City were unable to find any rhythm. Overall Kidlington were the more determined side and deserved to win a poor game.

Team: Alex Williams (capt) – Padraic Folan (sub James Harris 56 min), Kallum Conlon (sub Lawrence El Kassir 78 min), Rhys Denton, Joe Bull – Jon Gotch (sub Kyle Harris 61 min), Tom Holmes, Jon Rixon, Andrew Smith – Dominic Bruno, Corey Forbes.