|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 2, 2022 16:23:35 GMT
An excellent win in the final home fixture for City...and another >1000 gate: the play-offs beckon.
The most likely scenario is that City will host Eastbourne on May 11th...but there are, mathematically, still a number of alternatives!
Also, many congratulations to North Leigh who won promotion to Step 3 with a remarkable win at Ware. NL were 2-0 up with less than ten minutes to play; Ware scored two quick goals to equalise, and Jefferson Louis scored twice in the eight minutes of added-time to clinch the win.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rijs on May 2, 2022 18:56:55 GMT
And judging by recent form, one would rather be facing Eastbourne than Havant or Chippenham, so finishing fifth may be better than fourth - such is the peculiarity of the play-offs. That said, I suppose form counts for nothing on these occasions. But I don't fancy Chippenham again.
Yes, City managed the match well today, starting brightly, fading a little after Zac's superb solo opener, but coming back strongly after the interval, though St. Alban's were good on the break and might have scored before Joe got the second but for an excellent goalline clearance from Charlie Rowan. All four goals today were well-fashioned and taken; I was very pleased for young Ewan when his left-foot curler found the bottom corner. Whatever happens in the play-offs, City can be very satisfied with their league season and highest-ever finish, and the much-improved average attendance is the icing on the cake.
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 3, 2022 12:39:44 GMT
And judging by recent form, one would rather be facing Eastbourne than Havant or Chippenham, so finishing fifth may be better than fourth - such is the peculiarity of the play-offs. That said, I suppose form counts for nothing on these occasions. But I don't fancy Chippenham again. Yes, City managed the match well today, starting brightly, fading a little after Zac's superb solo opener, but coming back strongly after the interval, though St. Alban's were good on the break and might have scored before Joe got the second but for an excellent goalline clearance from Charlie Rowan. All four goals today were well-fashioned and taken; I was very pleased for young Ewan when his left-foot curler found the bottom corner. Whatever happens in the play-offs, City can be very satisfied with their league season and highest-ever finish, and the much-improved average attendance is the icing on the cake. Yes indeed, the powers-that-be should be particularly cheered by the large increase in home attendances. Even the season's lowest attendance (367 against Welling United) was higher than the 353 average of the last fully completed season (2018/19). This season's average (for league matches) is 619, that's 75% up on the '18/'19 figure: very impressive. |
|
|
|
Post by Rijs on May 3, 2022 20:59:36 GMT
Football Web pages have us down for 622, level with Slough and 15th in the division, but I'm sure you are more accurate, Chris!
It does seem that attendances all over non-league are higher than pre-Covid.
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 4, 2022 11:57:03 GMT
Football Web pages have us down for 622, level with Slough and 15th in the division, but I'm sure you are more accurate, Chris! It does seem that attendances all over non-league are higher than pre-Covid. Not sure about that  , but the Football Web pages are missing quite a lot of attendances including the City v Braintree one a couple of weeks back. Generally it seems harder to find attendances being reported now: even the National League site hardly ever includes them. |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 4, 2022 17:47:22 GMT
The Step 3 play-offs have already happened so, if OCFC don't get promoted (or moved North  ), there'll be some new visits/visitors next season at Step 2. All four promotees - Cheshunt, Farnborough, Taunton and Worthing - do, however, have 'history' with City in the past. |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 7, 2022 16:03:11 GMT
Eastbourne battered 7-2 by Dartford; Chippenham upset the form-book to win 2-0 at Havant & Waterlooville...
So Dartford 4th; City 5th; Eastbourne 6th and Chippenham 7th. Therefore City at home to Eastbourne on 11/05, and Dartford at home to Chippenham on 12/05. (The semi-finals will be next weekend)
|
|
|
|
Post by Rijs on May 11, 2022 9:25:07 GMT
I see the OM is saying tonight's match may break the ground's record attendance for a competitive match of 1208 set against Slough on Boxing Day. But I thought we had surpassed that total twice already - against Totton in the play-off final which saw us promoted to this level, and against Tranmere in the cup replay. Am I wrong?
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 11, 2022 10:11:54 GMT
I see the OM is saying tonight's match may break the ground's record attendance for a competitive match of 1208 set against Slough on Boxing Day. But I thought we had surpassed that total twice already - against Totton in the play-off final which saw us promoted to this level, and against Tranmere in the cup replay. Am I wrong? No, you're not wrong: 1280 v Totton and 1303 v Tranmere. I wouldn't be surprised if those figures are beaten for tonight's match though. Good Luck City! |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 11, 2022 20:48:07 GMT
A fine result and a great crowd. On to Surrey at the weekend! COYHs!
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 12, 2022 8:02:29 GMT
The Oxford Mail's report HERE. |
|
|
|
Post by Rijs on May 12, 2022 10:29:50 GMT
Thanks for the verification, Chris, and of course you were right in predicting this crowd would break the record, being 1349, even though there were not many making the long journey midweek from Eastbourne.
Play-offs are usually tense affairs and this was no exception, but City defended very well when Borough had possession, and restricted them to some wayward long-distance efforts. I can't remember Dudzinski having to make a difficult save. It wasn't a game with many chances but City created the better ones and were worthy winners.
It is such a great achievement for a relatively small club like ours to get to a play-off semi-final at this level. Now we go into the next contest as the underdogs, with Dorking very good at home, the highest scorers in the league, and fresher after a week off to prepare. Nonetheless, these lads have done us proud and I am sure they will give everything on Saturday.
|
|
|
|
Post by Logistics on May 12, 2022 13:48:53 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 13, 2022 8:29:33 GMT
...I see Chippenham won 3-2 on penalties at Dartford in the other Eliminator.
|
|
|
|
Post by casablanca on May 14, 2022 20:39:46 GMT
Oh well it had to end sometime! City have had a fantastic season nonetheless and we have a squad which can hold its own against most opposition. They have played some superb entertaining football and this has been rewarded with higher attendances. More of the same next season, please!
|
|
|
|
Post by Rijs on May 14, 2022 20:53:26 GMT
Absolutely. Huge thanks to all the team and staff for our best-ever season. It was always going to be a big ask to go and win at Dorking less than 72 hours after a bruising eliminator, and a few odd decisions by the ref didn't help, but all credit to Dorking who were the better team and who deserve to be in the final after their own excellent season. They came out of the blocks very quickly today and had us reeling in the first 20 minutes. Thereafter it was not so much one-way traffic and we had a few chances but really did not have our shooting boots on. They had their game plan and stuck to it; we looked a bit aimless at times, especially in the first half, and understandably had a bit less energy, but we kept trying. I am sure we will have learnt from this and who knows, if we can reach the play-offs again next season we may do better.
Overall we have done well against all but the top teams Maidstone and Dorking. Every team gets the odd bad day at the office, but City have been pretty consistent; just not quite as good as the very best.
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 15, 2022 8:35:16 GMT
All in all an exciting season: well done to all concerned. Let's hope that a squad that has now gelled well can be kept together as far as possible: if so then maybe next season will be even better! The Oxford Mail's report HERE. |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 21, 2022 16:56:42 GMT
Dorking finally edged past Ebbsfleet in extra-time after the Kent side had led twice.
So next season, barring surprise promotions/demotions/sideways transfers etc., the NLS will have lost Billericay, Dorking and Maidstone, while the 'new' faces for City to play in 2022/23 will be Cheshunt, Dover, Farnborough, Taunton, Weymouth and Worthing. And not really new faces anyway, as City have competed in leagues in the past with all of them, except for Dover...who they've met in the FA Cup.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rijs on May 21, 2022 20:28:50 GMT
It's going to be a big league next season with 24 teams in each division, isn't it? All the more reason to hope City are not pushed north.
So in the end the team who came second get the promotion their season merited, though today only because they equalised in the ninth minute of added time... Whereas in the NLN Brackley had been in the top two for most of the season but the team who finished fifth came good at the right time. Brackley keep coming close and not quite making it, but overall I suppose York City, being a much bigger club, are more likely to survive.
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisB on May 22, 2022 11:02:12 GMT
It's going to be a big league next season with 24 teams in each division, isn't it? All the more reason to hope City are not pushed north. So in the end the team who came second get the promotion their season merited, though today only because they equalised in the ninth minute of added time... Whereas in the NLN Brackley had been in the top two for most of the season but the team who finished fifth came good at the right time. Brackley keep coming close and not quite making it, but overall I suppose York City, being a much bigger club, are more likely to survive. I reckon we're OK for another season. Kings Lynn being one of the relegated sides was a lucky one for City, as they and Altrincham were, I think, the only two clubs in the bottom 16 who were north of Oxford. . |
|
|
|
Post by Rijs on May 22, 2022 18:48:49 GMT
That's a relief! It may be only for a year, though, as it's just a fact that there are more southern than northern teams in the Premier division (as there are in the country as a whole), so statistically, you are going to get more southern teams relegated, which means the dividing line is going to be in the southern half of the country.
|
|
|
|
Post by jpjournalism on Jun 1, 2022 16:32:47 GMT
Hello everyone, I am a young and upcoming football journalist who is trying to make it in the world of football media. I write for a website called ‘Back Page Football’ and I additionally write for ‘The Non-League Paper’ for Billericay Town which I thoroughly enjoy doing. I have my own website where I post all of my articles and I have put the link below if you would like to have a look - jpjournalism.com I have interviewed Oxford City’s Harry Kyprianou there as well, I have put the link to that below – jpjournalismcom.wordpress.com/2022/04/22/an-exclusive-interview-with-harry-kyprianou/ I have my own Instagram and Twitter pages, they are both jpjournalism_ if you would like to follow me, I post all of my articles there. I am trying to get as many followers as possible by the end of the year so if you could share this with as many people as possible that would be amazing. Have a great day, Jack |
|
, but the Football Web pages are missing quite a lot of attendances including the City v Braintree one a couple of weeks back.
), there'll be some new visits/visitors next season at Step 2. All four promotees - Cheshunt, Farnborough, Taunton and Worthing - do, however, have 'history' with City in the past.
