Scarborough Athletic's FA Cup dreams stalled by last-gasp Oxford City leveller

Boro, who played some superb football and were on top for long periods, made a dream start, taking the lead in the fourth minute, when Alex Purver was fouled by Mitchell Roberts in the middle of the pitch, and Lewis Maloney’s free-kick into the box was headed goalwards by Kieran Weledji, but keeper Chris Haigh tipped the ball over, writes Steve Adamson.

Finlay Barnes took the corner on the right, Will Thornton headed-on, and Frank Mulhern pounced to slam home at the near post.

Mulhern had a terrific game, winning numerous headers and battling and competing for every ball, and York City loanee Barnes was also outstanding, his pace and ball skills a constant menace for the visiting defence.

Mulhern laid off to Barnes, who fired narrowly wide, then Maloney and Purver combined to set up Barnes, who again shot wide. Oxford’s first chance saw Boro’s impressive skipper Thornton clear a Pierre Fonkeu shot off the line, while Weledji kicked clear when Olly Sanderson burst into the area.

There was a hugely controversial incident on 37 minutes when Thornton and Sanderson contested a high ball, with the Oxford striker, on loan from Fulham, appearing to elbow Thornton in the face, unseen by the referee. A melee followed, with three yellow cards issued, but not the red that most of the crowd expected. Then shortly before the interval Lewis Coyle flashed a shot wide in a rare Oxford attack.

Boro were again on top for much of the second half, Weledji setting up Barnes, who fired straight at the keeper, before they doubled their lead with a terrific goal, Barnes passing to Mulhern, who burst into the area from the right and squared to Dom Tear, who skipped past a defender and smashed his shot past Haigh.

Oxford switched to three at the back, and tried to fight back, Thornton getting in a strong tackle to halt a surging run from the lively Zak McEachran, and Sanderson flicked a header wide from a Renny Smith cross.

They reduced the arrears when McEachran sent a through-ball towards Sanderson, lucky not to have been sent off in the first half, and he raced forward and cleverly chipped over the onrushing Cracknell.

Boro, roared on by the vociferous crowd, almost added a third goal when Alex Wiles laid off to Mulhern, whose fierce low drive was saved by the feet of keeper Haigh.

Oxford midfielder Smith had two shots blocked, the first by Purver and the second by Thornton, before another controversial incident at the other end, when Maloney sent a cross into the box, and Oxford keeper Haigh clattered into Tear as they both went up for the ball, but appeals for a penalty were waved away.

Barnes laid off to Luca Colville, who fired wide, then Colville accepted a pass from Mulhern, and shot inches past the far post.

With the game deep into injury-time, a volley from Oxford’s Nya Kirby was deflected over the bar by the hard-working Alex Brown, giving the visitors only their second corner.

All 11 Oxford players, including keeper Haigh went forward, and Smith’s deep corner to the far post was was hoisted into the goalmouth by McEachran, for Canice Carroll to head home from close-range to snatch a sensational last second equaliser.

The winner of Tuesday’s replay will be at home to League Two Forest Green in the first round on the weekend of November 4-5.

BORO - Cracknell, Weledji, Brown, Maloney, Thornton, Qualter, Purver, Barnes, Mulhern (Coulson 87), Wiles (Colville 70), Tear (Green 77)

OXFORD CITY - Haigh, Harrison, Coyle, Fleet, McEachran, Roberts, Smith, Potter (Fonkeu 5) (Kirby 62), Sanderson, Carroll, Moore

REFEREE - Aaron Bannister

GOALS - BORO - Frank Mulhern 4, Dom Tear 53

OXFORD CITY - Olly Sanderson 56, Canice Carroll 90 (+)

YELLOW CARDS - BORO – Kieran Weledji, Joe Cracknell; OXFORD CITY- Reece Fleet, Oliver Sanderson

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Finlay Barnes

ATTENDANCE - 1,836 (30 away)