August 30, 2025
Today’s entertainment from national League North saw an encounter between the sides in 20th and 15th places as Oxford City hosted Radcliffe FC. A lower than average crowd was expected due to a combination of the likely poor weather, Oxford United playing at home, and relatively unknown opposition.
Oxford City Update
Following The Hoops slightly unfortunate 1-2 home loss to Spennymoor Town covered in these diaries last weekend, Oxford City played Chester City on the Bank Holiday Monday and again were on the rough end of the stick as they slid to another 1-2 defeat. Alfie Potter was the recipient of what looked to be a harsh first half red card after making a sliding tackle but The Hoops were unable to hold out for a point after Isaac Westendorf had notched his first goal for the club.
However, in some respects Oxford City had only themselves to blame as for both Chester goals the defenders were too slow to react in the 6-yard box, and the Chester attackers took advantage to prod home the loose balls.
Radcliffe FC
Radcliffe are located in the market town of Radcliffe in Greater Manchester, just north of the centre of Manchester.
Its football club were founded in 1949 as Radcliffe Borough, but the name was changed in 2018 to just Radcliffe FC.
Home is the 3,500 capacity Stainton Park and the club unsurprisingly have a nickname of The Boro. Their traditional kit is all blue with yellow trimming.
Radcliffe won the Northern Premier League Premier Division in 2023/24 to earn promotion to step 2 for the first time in their history. Last season they finished in 20th place in National League North, one place up the relegation zone, but 12 points ahead of Needham Market. They had an average league attendance of 1,018.
Radcliffe Squad
The most notable name in the Radcliffe squad was veteran forward David Ball, who played for 6 years in the A-League for Wellington Phoenix before returning to the UK and signing for Radcliffe in the summer. Earlier in his career he had been a prolific scorer for Fleetwood Town, and had also played for Swindon, Peterborough, Rochdale, Rotherham and Bradford City.
Experienced wing-back Callum McFadzean had Football League experience with Sheffield United, Sunderland, Plymouth Argyle, Bury, Burton Albion, Stevenage, Chesterfield and Crewe Alexandra, in addition to playing for Wrexham in the National League and Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.
Striker Hallam Hope ( 6 caps for Barbados ) joined Boro after leaving Morecombe in the summer following their financial problems, and was previously with Oldham Athletic, Swindon, Carlisle, Bury and Sheffield Wednesday. He had played over 300 matches in the Football League.
Polish born keeper Mateusz Hewelt was at Everton as a youth before playing for Tranmere Rovers in League Two, whilst centre-back Olly Thornley was previously with Curzon Ashton, defender Brad Roscoe was ex-Hyde United and Rick Smith was previously with Warrington Rylands
Wing-back Brad Jackson had played for Chester City, winger Michael Afuye was ex-Rochdale and Curzon Ashton, forward Rio Clegg joined in the summer from Trafford and centre-forward Jordan Hulme ex-AFC Fylde, Salford City and Altrincham.
Radcliffe This Season
Radcliffe came into today’s game with a 2-0-3 record. They started the season with two defeats, going down 1-2 at Buxton and then 0-2 at home to Spennymoor. The first points of the season were obtained with a 2-1 home win over Worksop Town but a 1-2 loss at Leamington followed. On Bank Holiday Monday, Hereford were overcome 1-0 at home to take Radcliffe up to 15th in the table.
The average attendance for their three home games was 936, with the highest being 1,067 for the game against Hereford.
Radcliffe had scored 5 league goals but like Oxford City, all had been scored by different players.
Previous Meetings
Last season was the first time the two sides had met and Oxford City did the double over Radcliffe, winning 1-0 at home in late March thanks to a goal from Zac McEachran in front of a crowd of 558, and 3-1 away in October after falling 0-1 behind.
Matchday Information
According to AA Route Planner, the journey from Radcliffe to Marsh Lane is 236 miles and should normally take 3 hours down the M6, M42 and M40. It looked like around 25-30 away fans had made the journey.
Tickets for today’s game were £13 for adults online and £16 at the turnstile. This represented a reduction from £15 online and £17 at the turnstile last season. There were a whole range of reductions depending on ages, from seniors to children. Hospitality was £40. An online programme was available.
Heavy rain was falling from the dark overhead clouds at the 15.00 kick-off and there was a stiff breeze. The temperature was around 20 degrees.
Bet365 made Oxford City 5/4 favourites, with Radcliffe at 6/4 and the draw 11/4.
Radcliffe were playing in a kit of an unusual kit of blue and yellow chevrons, with white shorts and socks. Oxford City were in their traditional blue and white hoops.
Radcliffe made three changes from the side that started the 1-0 victory over Hereford, with George Glendon, Danny Greenfield and Ball returning to starting XI. Oxford City made three changes to the side that lost at Chester with Byron Wilson making his first start of the season, whilst Zac McEachran and Tom Scott returned. Highly rated teenage centre-back Aaron Lacey had signed on loan earlier on in the week from Oxford United and was included amongst the substitutes
Matchday Report
At the risk of mixing metaphors, Radcliffe came out of the traps like a proverbial train. After barely 45 seconds Afuye went down in the penalty area under a challenge from Jacob Roddy, but the referee waved for play to continue.
The visitors had all the early possession, and a long-range effort from Greenfield was blocked. Against the run of play McEachran won the first corner of the match for The Hoops after a quick throw-in was taken by Alfie Potter. The set piece was delivered to the back post where George Burroughs got his head to the ball, but his effort hit a defender and went off for another corner, but from the other side of the pitch.
This time the corner was partially cleared by the Boro defence but only as far as Josh Ashby just outside the area, who headed back into the danger zone. Josh Parker made a cushioned header back to Burroughs, who fired into the roof of the net from just inside the 18- yard line. It was 1-0 after 5 minutes.
Radcliffe’s early confident start evaporated, and Oxford City poured forward in search of a second goal. Ashby made an interception deep inside The Hoops half and a flowing move involving Westendorf, McEachran and Westendorf again ended when Thornley cut-out a cross-field pass intended for Potter.
Another sweeping move featuring Ashby, Scott, Potter, Ashby and McEachran resulted in McEachran having consecutive shots blocked by the Radcliffe defence.
Afuye then whipped a left-footed cross from the right wing for Radcliffe that bounced inside the goalmouth but into the arms of keeper Lewis. However, this was just a temporary break from pressure from the home side and Westendorf was immediately released down the left-hand channel, but after cutting inside his goal-bound effort was blocked by Smith. Scott then received a pass from McEachran, turned, but his 25 yard was straight at Hewelt, who made a comfortable save.
Ball then saw a long range shot for Radcliffe blocked by Wiggett and Oxford City counter-attacked, and Potter cross to Parker, whose shot went into the side netting, but handball against Parker was given.
With 18 minutes played it looked like Radcliffe must score. The impressive Afuye again delivered a left footed cross from the right wing but Smith, unmarked 6 yard out, couldn’t make a decent enough contact and Lewis managed to half block. City hoofed clear.
This was to be cue for Radcliffe to dominate the rest of the half. Ball and Clegg ran across the Oxford City 18-yard line but both were crowded out by the home defence, before Afuye sent an optimistic effort over the clubhouse.
In the 27th minute Clegg fended off Roddy to have just the keeper to beat, but his shot from 8 yards struck the keeper’s body as he spread himself, and the ball deflected over the bar for a corner. The set-piece was cleared but Afuye picked up the loose ball and crossed to beyond the far post where the unmarked Clegg could only head meekly well wide.
Afuye was giving Roddy a torrid time and after twisting and turning past The Hoops left-back to get to the by-line, an important headed touch took his cross away from a Radcliffe attacker who was shaping to take a volley.
It was then Greenfield’s turn to send a long-range effort over the home clubhouse, after which Hulme gathered a long-kick from his goal-keeper only to have his shirt pulled by Burroughs for a free-kick and a yellow card. For the second week running Oxford City’s defensive wall was found wanting, this time as Greenfield fired a low free-kick, the wall jumped over it. Fortunately for The Hoops the ball went narrowly wide with the keeper beaten.
Jackson made a strong run to get to the home byline and then ran towards the goal, but his cross went harmlessly wide and off for a goal-kick. Jackson was involved again shortly after but his shot was blocked by Wilson for a corner to Radcliffe. Clegg then made two pathetic attempts to try and con the referee to win a penalty, going to ground in off the ball incidents, but was rightly unsuccessful.
Afuye was then the recipient of a short corner and his ball into the goalmouth was tipped over by Lewis for another corner. Afuye then produce a dangerous delivery which Lewis could only push away from under his crossbar for another corner. The third attempt was sent low towards the near post and was met with a glancing diving header from Ball, but Lewis was again up to the challenge and made a smart save at his near post to concede a fourth corner in a row. This time the ball was overhit and Parker shepherded the ball off for a goal-kick.
On the stroke of half-time Clegg tried to win another penalty, this time throwing himself to the ground as he ran between Roddy and Wiggett but again the referee was having none of it.
As the game moved into the third minute of first half added time, Jackson again did well close to the Oxford City by-line and when his cross deflected towards the 18-yard line, Thornley was in position to volley into the far corner for a smartly taken goal to level the scores. 1-1 after 45+3 minutes.
The was scarcely time to restart before the referee’s whistle blew for half-time and Radcliffe fully deserved to go into the break on level terms after all their pressure in the last 20 to 25 minutes of the half but Clegg’s attempts to con the referee wouldn’t endear him to the non-Boro spectators.
Radcliffe continued from where they left off in the first half and Jackson again crossed from the left by-line and found Ball 6 yards out, but the header was weak and Lewis was able to stop with an outstretched hand and then catch the ball. Seconds later Clegg ran into the Oxford City area but his fierce shot was blocked by the over-worked Lewis for another corner to the visitors.
The turning point of the match occurred a few minutes later. Afuye worked his way into a dangerous position and his ball across goal was deflected and Lewis made a fine reaction save to tip the ball on to the crossbar. Ball was following up and his close-range effort was remarkably cleared off the line by Wilson. Play continued for a few second before the referee decided Wilson had blocked the ball with his hands, and a penalty and a red card was awarded. The Hoops suffered a double jeopardy when Clegg stepped up to send Lewis the wrong way from the spot. It was now 1-2 with 54 minutes on the clock and Oxford City were a man down.
Having lost a defender with the red card, Oxford City understandably needed to bring on a defender, and Lacey appeared for his debut. However, inexplicably the player he replaced was Westendorf, who with his pace and power had been able to conjure up and equaliser when City had been reduced to 10 men at Chester on Monday. There were three or four players whose performances had been poor and so should have been candidates for the hook in place of Westendorf, and without any pace up front Oxford City never looked like getting back into the match.
Greenfield was shown a yellow card for a nasty looking stamp on the foot of McEachran but it was Oxford City who shot themselves in the foot a few minutes later. Wiggett tried to shield a long ball out of the Radcliffe defence to allow Lewis to collect, but the Hoops keeper failed to advance off his line. Wiggett panicked and instead played the ball straight to Jackson, who gleefully placed the ball into the empty goal. 1-3 after 65 minutes.
Radcliffe were shown another yellow card four minutes later after a foul on Potter but it wasn’t clear who was the recipient was, as there was no player near to the referee when the card was brandished !
The home side briefly threatened when Parker chest controlled and laid off to Potter, but Roscoe was stronger in the tackle and won the ball.
It got worse for Oxford City when a stray pass went to Clegg, who ran past Wiggett to have just the keeper to beat, and although his shot was mis-hit it was strong enough to sneak past the keeper and inside the near post. 1-4 after 74 minutes.
At this points the heavens opened again but Radcliffe were not easing up. A good move ended with Hope’s shot being deflected for a corner, then Jackson shot into the advertising hoardings after a right-wing cross had been palmed away by Lewis.
Oxford City substitute DJ Campton-Sturridge looked lively, charging down an attempted clearance and running into the Radcliffe area, but after being forced wide, his shot from a tight angle was saved by Hewelt down at his near post.
Surprisingly seven extra minutes were announced, and Radcliffe took advantage when The Hoops defence allowed a long ball to bounce for Clegg to control, make space and then hammer into the roof of the net to seal an emphatic victory. 1-5 with 92 minutes on the clock.
Radcliffe fully deserved their win. Although the scores had been level at time of the red card to Wilson, they had dominated the game after the opening 20 minutes or so and were looking increasingly the likely winners. In Afuye, Clegg and Ball they had three forwards who caused no end of trouble to the home defence. Radcliffe’s victory was their biggest winning margin in National League North.
For Oxford City it was a rude eye-opening, being well beaten by a side likely to at best be mid-table. and too many players had an off-day. It would be easy to hide behind the red card, but the truth was they were by some distance second best on the day. They had now slipped to third from bottom in the table.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1nOdqfN4TY
Oxford City : Lewis – Wilson, Burroughs, Wiggett, Roddy ( Daniel ) – Ashby, Scott ( Humphries-Ewers ), McEachran– Potter ( Campton-Sturridge ), Westendorf ( Lacey ), Parker
Radcliffe FC : Hewelt – Roscoe ( Park ), Smith, Thornley – Afuye, Greenfield ( Gardner ), Glendon, Jackson – Ball ( Hope ), Clegg, Hulme ( Dudley )
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