Romans end league season on winning note

Despite a first half red card for Jordan Dyer, City ended their league campaign on a winning note with a 2-1 victory over Oxford City at Twerton Park this afternoon. The visitors showed their play-off credentials during the opening half hour, Max Harris twice producing top class saves and Luke Spokes blocking another effort off the line. And the afternoon got even tougher for the Romans on 35 minutes when Dyer received an incredibly harsh second caution – just three minutes after seeing a first yellow – to leave them a man down. Within six minutes Oxford took full advantage of the referee’s generosity, Parker lashing the ball home after a blocked effort broke kindly to him. However, City stunned the Hoops with two quickfire goals in the opening exchanges of the second half. On 49 minutes great work by Scott Wilson saw him cross for substitute Opi Edwards to side-foot home from close range. Then two minutes later Jack Batten was fouled in the box and Wilson stepped up to net his 23rd goal of the season from the penalty spot. Knowing that a defeat could deny them a vital third place finish Oxford pushed forward in search of a way back into the game. Parker and Potter missed great chances before Harris again came to City’s rescue with a great near post block on 79 minutes. Two minutes later Wilson could have secured the win, racing clear but seeing keeper Haigh block his shot. Batten then produced another brilliant goalline clearance and this turned out to be as close as Oxford would come to denying City the hard-fought victory.