Oxford Quarry Nomads 2-5 Penn & Tylers Green

With Matty Hunt and Andy Lyne in charge for the first time, Oxford Quarry Nomads played their first home match since October 14th looking to complete the double over Penn & Tylers Green on a raw afternoon in front of a smattering of hardy souls who’d foregone the pleasures of Christmas shopping.

The writing was on the wall from the very first minute when Allen shot over when clear and then Hunt headed over from a free-kick, and on 10 minutes Allen lobbed Barisic for goal number one when a clearance from the visitor’s keeper cleared the defence first bounce.
Aaron Williams and Michael Sackey were putting in good runs for the home side, but the final balls were rather wayward and, at the other end, defending seemed uncertain allowing the visitors runs in on goal on several occasions.

A great interception and break forward by John Hawkins after 25 minutes set up Adam Lovegrove to crack the ball into the net from close range for an equaliser after the keeper had parried the first attempt.

Milan Barisic was being called upon to make some good stops but there was little he could do about P&TG’s second goal when a missed clearance from a corner in the 37th minute fell in the six-yard box for an attacker to scramble the ball home at the second attempt.
Two minutes later and a square defence was beaten by a good pass and Hunt ran on to round Barisic and finish from a tricky angle.

Barisic then saved well with his feet when Morris broke through to shoot, before Aaron Williams came near to reducing the deficit when his curling free-kick towards the top corner was well saved.

HALF TIME: OQN 1-3 Penn & Tylers Green

The visitors quickly added to their total four minutes into the second half, when an unmarked Sturgess beat Barisic with a well-placed header from a long, curling cross. Morris was having plenty of chances in front of Barisic, but saw one shot go just wide and hit another straight at the keeper when well placed. Nomads continued to try to keep the ball on the ground and attack with pace, and were pushing the visitor’s defence deeper, but, try as they might, they could not carve out any really clear-cut chances.

Morris scored P&TG’s fifth on 76 minutes when he found himself unmarked by the penalty spot, and the same player struck Barisic’s right-hand post with two minutes remaining on the clock, whereupon the ball was played out of defence to Michael Betnay who, after a quick exchange of passes, sped on down the right flank before cutting in and firing low and hard just inside the post: a fine goal.

FULL TIME: Oxford Quarry Nomads 2-5 Penn & Tylers Green

Reorter: ChrisB