TWO goals from Zac McEachran steered Oxford City into the third qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 3-1 win aat Whitehawk, writes PATRICK LOCK.

McEachran’s double, which followed Reece Fleet’s opener, helped City come from behind to see off their fellow Vanarama National League South opponents.

Mark Jones’s team found themselves 1-0 down after 28 minutes when Enoch Andoh curled a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.

City were only behind for three minute as Fleet saw his shot take a heavy deflection before looping over Whitehawk keeper Simon Jorgensen.

The visitors went ahead five minutes before half-time, when Rob Sinclair headed back across goal for McEachran to smash into an empty net.

Victory was all but confirmed just four minutes into the second half, when Matt Paterson’s pass found McEachran well-placed to fire home his second.

Oxford City: Stevens, Jones, Grant, Poku, Navarro, Oastler, McEachran, Fleet, Paterson (Forde 90), Sinclair, Pearce (Tutton 86). Sub not used: Fofana. Attendance: 295

Banbury United reached the third qualifying round for the second year in a row when goals from Luke Carnell and Darren Pond gave them a 2-0 victory at home to Thatcham Town.

it is the first time that the Puritans have reached this stage in consecutive seasons for 40 years.

Mike Ford’s team found it tough going in a tight first half-hour against their determined Uhlsport Hellenic League opponents.

Visiting keeper Chris Rackley saved Carnell’s strong head with his outstretched leg, before the big defender broke the deadlock two minutes before half-time.

Tom Winters sent over a long free-kick to the far post, where Carnell rose to head home back across goal.

Two minutes later, Winters’s corner saw Pond net from the edge of the six-yard box.

The Puritans went close to adding a third, but Jefferson Louis failed to extend his eight-game scoring streak, by heading over from Ravi Shamsi’s free-kick.

Banbury Utd: Harding, Hawtin, Peake-Pijnen, Nash, Westbrook, Carnell, Self (Shamsi 53), Pond, Louis (Johnson 81), McDonagh (Howards 81), Winters. Subs not used: Bradbury, Blackstock, Martin. Attendance: 450.

Kidlington looked sure-fire winners when they led 2-0 at half-time away to ten-man Paulton Rovers.

But the shell-shocked visitors ended up losing 3-2 as their Evo-Stik South League West opponents stormed back.

Duran Martin put Kidlington ahead after 15 minutes, arrowing the ball home from Anaclet Odhiambo’s pass.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 as Jack Quainton and Mark Bell set up Darius Browne, who smashed home.

On 20 minutes, a foul from Paulton’s Camden Harvey saw him given a red card.

In the second half, the hosts threw caution to the wind and went on all-out attack.

It took only three minutes for James Byrne to pull a goal back.

In the 53rd minute, Paulton were level after Jack Ball pounced on an error by Lewis Gabbidon.

Matters got even worse for Kidlington in the 65th minute when Ball powered home a head from a free-kick to put his side ahead.

The visitors never looked like getting back into a match, they should have sewed up.

Kidlington: Warrell, Quainton (Janes 83), Castle, Franklin, Brown, Gabbidon, Browne, Martin, A Odhiambo, Wharton (Eric Odhiambo 52), Bell (Eddie Odhiambo 62). Subs not used: Organ, Coyle, Tetek.

Attendance: 155.