February 21, 2026
Oxford City had another important home game today in their battle to avoid relegation from National League North as they entertained 10th placed Marine.
Oxford City Update
Since these diaries reported on Oxford City’s 1-0 victory over second placed AFC Fylde in January, they had played four more league matches. First, they fell to an unlucky 1-3 home defeat to leaders South Shields, but then took 4 points from 3 away games. A 0-1 loss in a drab game at Radcliffe was followed by another dull game as they drew 0-0 at bottom side Leamington. However, last weekend, The Hoops recorded their first away success of the season with a 2-1 win at Worksop Town. These results left Oxford City in 21st place, two points from safety.
A youthful Oxford City side had hosted Oxford United’s Academy side in the quarter finals of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup, and two goals in added on time saw the Hoops progress 3-2.
Oxford City had again been active in the loan market, with the arrival of forward Callum McFarlane from Solihull Moors. McFarlance had been on loan at Hereford United earlier in the season. However, earlier this week keeper Jonny Maxted had been recalled by Brackley Town due an injury to one of their other goalkeepers, and Max Metcalfe had been signed on loan from Stockport County. Metcalfe had been on loan last season at Marine, so would be well known to today’s visitors !
Marine FC
Marine are located in Crosby on Merseyside, which is 6 miles north of the city centre of Liverpool.
The football club were founded in 1894 and play at the 3,185 capacity Rossett Park, which for sponsorship reasons is now known as The Marine Travel Arena. Their nicknames are either The Mariners or The Lilywhites.
Marine had spent most of this century in the step 3 Northern Premier League Premier Division but were relegated at the end of 2018/19. Three seasons were played in the Division One West until winning promotion via the 2021/22 play-offs.
Back at step 3, Marine finished 9th in 2022/23, then a 3rd place finish saw Marine enter the 2023/24 play-offs, where a 1-0 home win over Warrington Rylands and a 2-1 victory at Macclesfield resulted in promotion to National League North.
Last season in their first season at step 2, Marine finished 15th.
Marine This Season
Marine came into today’s match in 10th position with a 13-6-11 record to be 3 points off a play-off position. Away from home they were 5-2-6 with the away wins coming at Merthyr Town ( 3-1 ), Macclesfield ( 1-0 ), Worksop Town ( 2-1 ), Scarborough Athletic ( 2-1 ) and Leamington ( 1-0 ), but they were now on a run of 4 away league matches without a win. They had shipped 4 goals in their last two away games, losing 0-4 at Buxton and 1-4 at Curzon Ashton.
However, The Mariners recent home form had been good, going 6 home games without a defeat, and they had thrashed Leamington 5-0 last weekend.
In the FA Cup Marine progressed past step 5 Newcastle Blue Star 2-0 but exited the competition after a 2-3 home loss to Buxton.
Marine were enjoying a good run in the FA Trophy and will host Woking in the quarter-finals next Saturday. In the earlier rounds, Marine got past step 3 Stockbridge Park Steels ( 2-0 ), Curzon Ashton ( 2-1 away ), Gloucester City ( 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 home draw ) and National League Tamworth ( 4-1 on penalties after 0-0 away draw ).
Marine’s average attendance so far this season was 1,271, the 9th best in the division, compared to Oxford City’s 659. Their highest attendance for a league match was 2,314 for the visit of Southport on Boxing Day.
Marine Squad
Winger Finlay Sinclair-Smith, top scorer in the past two season, was again leading the way with 7 goals so far this season. Ex-Bolton Wanderers, Motherwell, Albion Rovers and Bala Town forward George Newell was next with 6 goals, and Charlie Jolley, on loan from AFC Fylde, had founded the net 4 times.
Keeper Fraser Barnsley was on loan from Everton, left-back Joe Ashton was on loan from Burnley and centre-back Adam Anson was with Wigan as a youngster and had recently played for Southport and Alfreton.
Midfielder Jack Hazlehurst had briefly played for Burton Albion, midfielder Sam Fielding was ex-Bradford Park Avenue and defender James Brown was not The Godfather of Soul, but instead had played three times for Malta, in addition to playing for St Johnstone, Millwall and Carlisle United.
Republic of Congo striker Offrande Zanzala numbered Accrington Stanley, Crewe Alexandria, Carlisle, Barrow, Exeter City, Newport County and Torquay United amongst his former sides.
Marine’s manager was Bobby Grant, who made over 300 appearances in the Football League for Accrington Stanley, Scunthorpe, Rochdale, Blackpool, Shrewsbury Town, Fleetwood Town and Oldham Athletic as well as playing for Wrexham in the National League, making 512 appearances in all competitions in his career.
Previous Meetings
The two sides met for the first time on the opening day of last season when a scrambled goal in added on time gave Oxford City a 1-1 draw on Merseyside. In the return on a Tuesday night in February, Oxford City edged to a 1-0 home win, scoring direct from a corner.
When the two sided met earlier this season, a 0-0 draw was played out. History suggested this could be a low scoring affair……..
Matchday Information
According to AA Route Planner, Marine’s journey to Oxford was 177 miles via the M6 and M40, which would normally take just over 3 hours. It looked like around 40 or so Marine supporters had made the journey.
Tickets for today’s game were £13 for adults online and £16 at the turnstile. There were a whole range of reductions depending on ages, from seniors to children.
An online programme was available and a cup of tea cost £2.50. A post-match pint of Estrella Galicia and a glass of Pinot Grigio both cost £5.50 each
Despite a forecast of rain all afternoon, it was dry at the 15.00 kick-off time, although the dark clouds suggested that rain was on its way, and the floodlights were already on. The temperature was around 13 degrees.
Bet365 made Marine 6/5 favourites, with Oxford City at 19/10 and the draw at 11/5.
Marine made one change from the side that beat Leamington last time out with midfielder Matty McDonald replacing Hazlehurst, whilst Oxford City made one changes to the side that won at Worksop, being the enforced change of goal-keeper.
Marine were playing in a change kit of all dark green, whilst Oxford City were in their usual blue and white hoops.
Match Report
Marine started brightly and in the first minute a dangerous looking cross from the right wing needed to be put out for a corner by George Burroughs.
A minute later Charlie Wiggett brought down a Marine attacker to give the visitors a free-kick 25 yards from goal, but Ashton’s effort hit the defensive wall and bounced away for the first corner of the game. Oxford City struggled to clear the corner and a wild kick from Latrell Humphrey-Ewers attempting to clear only made contact with Jolley, who collapsed to the ground for an obvious penalty.
Newell stepped up to take the spot-kick but only to succeed in smashing the ball against the post, and the ball rolled back across the goal and off for a goal-kick. This would be keeper Metcalfe’s first touch of the ball !
Oxford City took play down the other end where Josh Parker did well to get to the by-line and pull back, but the attempt from Josh Ashby from the edge of the area was blocked by a Marine defender. When the home side reworked the loose ball, Parker was fouled just outside the Marine area. Ashby’s free-kick went straight at keeper Barnsley, who made a regulation save.
Barnsley attempt at a drop-kick to clear struck Parker, and Alfie Potter latched onto the loose ball to run into the Marine area. His pull-back found McFarlane, who took a touch before shooting, but his effort was blocked. The Marine keeper protested vociferously about the block by Parker, and was rewarded with the first yellow card of the game.
The Hoops were on top, and a cross from Parker from the left needed a good clearing header from Marine captain Josh Wardle. Perseverance from Jack Bearne down the left won a corner off Anson, which came to nothing. Shortly after, McFarlane’s cross was headed away from Potter beyond the far post by Ashton, and when Potter retrieved the ball his attempted pass for Ashby to run onto was read by Wardle, who cleared at the expense of a throw-in.
At the other end Newell turned on the angle of the Oxford City 6-yard box but his ball across the face of the goalmouth just evaded Sinclair-Smith, and rolled off for a goal-kick.
In the 23rd minute Sinclair-Smith became the second Marine player to see yellow after bringing down Burroughs, who had run from the edge of the Oxford City area to half-way after preventing Sinclair-Smith being able to run onto a ball towards to Hoops 18-yard line.
A minute later there was more good defending by the home side, this time Wiggett stopped Newell from running into the Oxford City area and brought the ball out of defence.
In the 25th minute, Parker’s chest control lay-off enabled Potter to surge towards the byline and win a corner, but Anson headed away Bearne’s set-piece.
The Hoops were playing some nice passing football but an outstretching Marine foot denied one move, and then Ashby and Potter showed good determination to win possession on the artificial surface with sliding tackles.
It was against the run of play when Marine nearly took the lead. Sinclair-Smith ran past Burroughs after controlling a good cross-field ball but with just the keeper to beat put his left-footed effort wide of the far post. However, Marine were not to be denied and a minute later some intricate play inside the Oxford City area involving Sinclair-Smith and McDonald saw the ball laid off to Jolley, who thumped a low shot into the bottom corner from around 12 yards. 0-1 after 29 minutes.
Three minutes later Marine nearly doubled their lead when McDonald’s left footed cross from the right-wing bounced across the 6-yard line, but again Sinclair-Smith was unable to get to it. Burroughs then played a loose pass that was intercepted by Sinclair-Smith, who ran to the edge of the penalty area, but saw his low drive pushed away by Metcalfe diving to his left for a corner. Wardle could only head the corner high into the air and City were able to clear.
Oxford City created a great opportunity to equalise in the 38th minute. Bearne made a strong run down the left wing and crossed low into the Marine area, which was met by McFarlane, but his first time effort from 12 yards not only went over the bar, it went out of the ground. It was a great chance wasted.
The Hoops then produced a move that summed up the infuriation their supporters have with their style of play this season. Humphries had the opportunity to cross into the Marine area from the left wing with several team-mates in the box, but instead decided to turn and play the ball backwards. Around twenty passes later the ball was back with keeper Metcalfe, who was force to kick long, and Marine gained possession.
As the game approached half-time, Marine’s Adam Thomas cynically chopped down Bearne as he ran towards the Marine area, but surprisingly the referee decided it wasn’t a yellow card offence. The City free-kick was headed away as far as Aaron Harper-Bailey, whose first-time shot from the bouncing ball looked to be goal-bound until it struck Wardle.
The half-time whistle blew shortly after, and the promised rain started to fall.
Oxford City started the second well but their possession yielded nothing. Jolley brought down Potter as he ran from the half-way line and despite it being an obvious foul the Marine midfielder complained loudly at the referee, who gave a stern talking to Jolley, but his cards remained in his pocket.
Oxford City continued to play pretty triangles but the final pass from Ashby was over hit and rolled away for a goal-kick.
Newell then spread the ball nicely wide to the right to Bell, who low cross need to be put over his own bar by Wiggett for a corner. Metcalfe flapped at the corner, and the ball ricocheted towards the goal but Ashby made a goal-line clearance. Marine’s players appealed for a penalty for some reason, but the referee was unimpressed.
Zanzala fell over theatrically on the edge of the Oxford City area but with the referee failing to see a foul, Lewis Bell did well to gather the loose ball and get to the corner flag, and appeared to fouled as his cross sailed into the stand. However, the decision was a goal-kick.
Moments later. a poor attempted clearance by Wiggett gave Zanzala a one vs one against Metcalfe, but his prod was weak and the Hoops keeper made an easy save.
With 55 minutes on the clock, Potter showed good skill to get away from Jolley but his subsequent pass to Parker resulted in a casual flick, which Potter was unable to reach, and the attempted clearance hit Potter and rolled to the Marine keeper.
Burroughs then made a good run down the right wing but his cross to beyond the far post was headed by Bearne, probably the shortest player on the pitch, and the Marine keeper took an easy catch. Marine broke quickly and won a corner, but Jolley could only head high and wide.
The home side sent a long ball down the right-hand channel which Parker was just able to keep in play but a Marine defender hoofed off for a throw-in near the corner flag, from which Burroughs won a corner. Bearne over hit the set-piece but City were awarded another corner. This time, Ashby’s delivery was met by the on-running Burroughs, but Barnsley made a smart save to tip the close-range header over the bar. The next corner was played short to Ashby, rather than into the mixer, and the Hoops captain was crowded out and Whelan cleared.
Oxford City were now playing much better than in the first half, and a super cross-field pass from Burroughs was played on by Ashby to substitute Brayden Daniel, but his left-footed shot was blocked by Thomas for a corner.
With 69 minutes on the clock Ashby became the first Oxford City player to enter the referee’s notebook after bringing down Sinclair-Smith just inside the home half. The free-kick was directed towards the far post, where Fielding got his head to the ball, but Metcalfe made a smart save to prevent the ball entering the top corner of his goal.
In the 74th minute Ashby played a superb ball to release Roddy down the left wing, but his inviting cross into the six-yard box was missed by both McFarlane and Potter. A minute later a long ball down the right-hand channel found Parker inside the Marine area, but after twisting and turning, the veteran Antiguan’s effort was blocked.
The rain was now falling much heavier as Marine won an unnecessary free-kick just outside the angle of the right-hand penalty area. Ashton’s low delivery saw the home defence dozing and substitute Zanzala nipped in to prod home from 6 yards. It was now 0-2 after 83 minutes and probably game over.
The home side were striving for a consolation and a lovely pass from O’Shea Ellis was fed by Potter to McFarlane who was brutally brought down, and the yellow card was shown to Anson. Ashby’s free-kick from 20 yards drifted a foot over the bar.
A chip into the Marine area deflected of Whelan as he challenged with McFarlane, and the ball sailed harmlessly through for Barnsley to take an easy catch.
Five added minutes were shown as Oxford City continued to attack. Burroughs played an inviting ball into the Marine area and both Potter and McFarlane dithered. Eventually, McFarlane went for goal but his left-footed effort from 12 yards went just wide of the far post.
Daniel then produced some great work to control and cut inside to lay off to Ashby, who ran into the Marine area but his pass was deflected and Barnsley needed to dive and push the ball away before Potter could capitalise.
The final play of the match saw Ellis make a good run and pass to Ashby, who released Roddy down the left wing, but the cross sailed onto the roof of the net.
The referee ended the game shortly after, and a well-organised and disciplined Marine outfit deservedly took the three points, but remained in 10th place in the table. The performance from the home side reeked of one deservedly at the bottom end of the table. Despite plenty of possession, they rarely troubled the Marine keeper, and until it was too late, far too often the default option was still to look to play the risk-free pass backwards rather than gamble with a forward ball.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbG6nb88Xt4
Oxford City : Metcalfe – Burroughs, Wiggett, Harper-Bailey, Humphries ( Roddy ) – Potter, Humphrey-Ewers ( Ellis ), Ashby, Bearne ( Daniel ) – McFarlane, Parker
Marine : Barnsley – Thomas, Anson, Wardle ( Zanzala ), Ashton – Jolley, Fielding, Whelan, McDonald ( Bell ), Sinclair-Smith – Newell ( Potter )
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