EZRA Forde marked his senior debut in style as he netted a stoppage-time equaliser to earn a youthful Oxford City a 1-1 draw at home to promotion-chasing Dartford, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

City’s three-match unbeaten run appeared to be coming to an end as they trailed to a Ryan Hayes strike with rime running out.

But the teenager, who came off the bench late in the game, marked his arrival in style with a 91st-minute strike.

After a slow start, the visitors sprung into life on the half-an-hour mark and only a superb reaction save from goalkeeper Craig Hill to tip over Tom Murphy’s close-range header kept City on level terms.

Some of the visiting fans thought their side had taken the lead when they saw the net ripple soon afterwards, but Elliott Bradbrook’s shot struck the side netting.

An injury to referee Savvas Yianni led to a lengthy delay shortly before the break, with a volunteer located from the crowd to run the line.

When play restarted, Scott Davies went close to handing City the advantage with a ferocious long-range strike which was beaten away by goalkeeper Deren Ibrahim.

But the breakthrough, when it came 20 minutes into the second half, went the way of the visitors as Hayes found the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

City poured forward in search of an equaliser.

Substitute Mike Fondop fired into the side-netting after being teed up by teenage winger Sami Khawaja, who was also making his first senior start.

Jefferson Louis also went close six minutes from time, firing narrowly wide after a cross had been flicked on by Lee Henderson.

But as the referee prepared to blow for time, City salvaged a point in dramatic fashion, thanks to a combination of two young prospects.

Matt Peake-Pijnen brilliantly laid the ball off to the unmarked Forde, who was introduced as an 82nd-minute substitute for Khawaja.

The debutant made no mistake from just outside the six-yard box, drilling the ball back across goal and into the far corner.

Oxford City: Hill, Ngathe, Peake-Pijnen, Davies, Henderson, Niate, Poku, Fleet (Carvalho 12), Louis, Anderson (Fondop 64), Khawaja (Forde 82). Sub not used: Ngamvoulou.

Attendance: 353.