Eastbourne Borough v Oxford City Match Report
A second-half penalty from Ryan Worrall ensured Eastbourne Borough left Priory Lane with at least a point against promotion chasing Oxford City.
The visitors travelled to Sussex with spirits high, after a 6-3 win over Marlow in the FA Trophy last weekend. But Borough themselves were in good form after firing four past Hayes & Yeading during the week in the same competition.
Borough had to shuffle the pack early in the game as Kieron Khinda-John was withdrawn with a head injury. The goal-scorer Worrall came on, as Ian Simpemba slotted back into the heart of the Sports defence.
The first real chance of the game fell to Borough, but Gavin McCallum’s low drive was parried away by Laurie Walker in the Oxford goal.
A couple of minutes after McCallum’s chance, the Sports had the ball in the net, thanks to Nathaniel Pinney. The ball was floated in from a corner; the knock back found Pinney but the goal was disallowed as the linesman had his flag up, for an earlier offside.
Borough had the better of the game until third place Oxford City took the lead through Bradley Bubb, after a neat corner routine came off in the 32nd minute.
Oxford’s winger Luke Coulson got to the byline and fed the ball across the box, and Bubb was there to tap the ball into the net.
With Borough still reeling from Oxford’s opener, Marlon Jackson nearly doubled their lead as he flew past the Sports backline shortly before half-time, but his shot was well saved by Lewis Carey.
Darren Lok had the chance to get Eastbourne back into the contest after the break.  The nippy forward went clear through on goal, but he was adjudged to have dived after skipping past the onrushing Walker.
Oxford were beginning to pile the pressure on a vulnerable Borough side, but the Sports found a route back into the game as Sam Beale’s powerful run ended up with the defender being fouled in penalty area.
Worrall, who was impressive throughout after coming on early in the match stepped up and calmly slotted into the corner of the net, to put the Borough back on level terms.
With the game entering the last five minutes, Simpemba committed a reckless foul which gave the visitors a free-kick just outside Borough’s box.
Omari Sterling-James’ resulting effort cannoned off the bar; much to the relief of Simpemba and company.
It was a credible point for Tommy Widdrington’s side as they proved that on their day they can compete with the best the division has to offer, as Oxford will certainly be there or thereabouts in the race for promotion.
Teams
Eastbourne Borough: L. Carey, C. Stone, S. Beale, I. Simpemba (c), K. Khinda-John (R. Worrall, 17), M. Hamilton, N. Collier, N. Pinney, D. Lok, M. Baptista (Romain, 69)
Subs - J. Evans, R. Tate, B. Bosma.
Oxford City: L. Walker, D. King, J. Lapoujade, R. Fleet (Benjamin, 78), A. Santiago, J. Arzamendi, L. Coulsen, D. Pond (c), B. Bubb, M. Jackson (Sterling-James, 78), K. Isaac (McDonaugh, 90)