OXFORD City crashed out at the first hurdle in the Buildbase FA Trophy with a shock 2-1 defeat at home to South Park in the third qualifying round, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

Despite playing for more than an hour against a side without a recognised goalkeeper, after the injured James Wastell was replaced between the sticks by forward Daniel Moody, City were unable to make the two-division gap between the sides show.

Falling behind right before the break to a Kieran Lavery strike, Tom Winters equalised for City, but Joe Jackson struck a late winner for the visitors.

Jackson was sent off shortly before the end, but it came too late to make any difference.

Making six changes following the 5-0 win at Margate the previous weekend, City looked a shadow of the side which had picked up three successive victories coming into this match.

The Ryman League Division 1 South visitors were brighter throughout and were unlucky not to the lead when City keeper Tyrell Belford fumbled a Benjamin King shot, forcing Robbie Cundy into a desperate goalline clearance.

In the 33rd minute, Wastell was forced off after a nasty clash with Mike Fondop which left both players down.

But City were unable to test his makeshift replacement and fell behind in first-half stoppage time when Lavery fired into the bottom corner from outside the area.

South Park could have extended their lead early in the second half when James McEllogott was allowed clean through on goal, but he could only brush the top of the bar.

Winters levelled in the 78th minute with a fabulous strike into the top corner and City looked poised to finally see off the underdogs.

But again they failed to hit their stride and paid the ultimate price four minutes from time when they failed to cut out a ball across goal, allowing Jackson a simple

tap-in.

Things boiled over as the match ticked into stoppage time when Jackson swung an elbow at Kynan Isaac and, after the ensuing melee, was duly shown a red card.

But it came too late for City to press home their numerical advantage, and they had to watch on as their visitors celebrated a well-deserved upset at the final whistle.

Oxford City: Belford, Ngathe, Isaac, Davies, Henderson, Cundy, Giles, MacAuley (Fleet 56), Fondop (Louis HT), Ofosu (Winters 56), Roberts. Subs not used: Poku, Ashby.

Attendance: 157.