After an unimpressive showing at Chester, the Bulls are keen to get back to their normal selves. And win a League game in midweek. We will be without Robinson who is both injured and suspended. Happily Jason Cowley is fit and very eager.
On a night of whiz bangs and minor explosions, Oxford City or the Hoops make their first ever visit to Edgar Street in my lifetime. Their squad is generally unfamiliar to us bar one satanic figure in the visitors’ dugout is Andy “Bad Ass” Ballard. In his playing days, fireworks spontaneously ignited near him. City’s Assistant manager previously managed Didcot. Remember them?
Oxford City were relegated from Step One last season and are in danger of a second relegation. But don’t be fooled. For a lowly club, they do score regularly. In their last 3 away games, they drew at Scunthorpe, beat Warrington and defeated Radcliffe, all results which remain aspirational for us. Their defence does look very vulnerable, one of the weakest in our division. In charge is Ross Jenkins who resigned at the end of last season and then returned at the end of September. During his absence,13 new players arrived which no doubt needed some adjustment. His top scorers are Corie Andrews (5) who joined from Wealdstone in the summer. He missed Saturday’s game due to injury. Just behind him is Zac McEachran, in his seventh years with the Hoops with 4 goals. His brother Josh is with Oxford United and another brother George with Grimsby.
The bottom has fallen out of their support. City’s average is 459, and sinking with 3 out of 4 sub 400 attendances. Ignoring pitchless Farsley, that’s the second smallest backing for any National league North club. Pretty doleful in a prosperous city of 165,000. The novelty Edgar Street fixture is maybe an incentive for a few but there’s a chance of more visiting players than fans for the second straight game.
One man owns Oxford City, their Academy and their community arm. Justin Merritt, twice club manager, is the owner and sole director. All Oxford’s teams (37 of them), their Full-time Academy for 16-23 year olds who can even study for a degree – everything is dependent on him writing the cheques. Without him, the club wouldn’t exist in any significant form.
Yes its bonfire night but you’d rather be with the explosive action at Edgar Street. Surely? Help your club by being there.
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Simon Wright
