OXFORD City re-established their ten-point cushion over the Vanarama National League South relegation zone after an important 3-1 victory at play-off pushing Welling United.

Rob Sinclair, Sam Nombe and Freddie Grant scored in the second half to earn Mark Jones’s side victory on a bitterly cold and wintry day at Park View Road.

Having lost to Havant & Waterlooville the previous weekend, City showed an impressive response to claim their fourth win in five games.

New signing Kavan Cotter, on loan from Luton Town, was on the bench as Jones named an unchanged starting XI.

The first chance fell to the home side, Ryan Hall seeing his 11th-minute effort blocked in the penalty area.

City had the ball in the net just four minutes later, but they were denied by the offside flag after Sinclair slotted home a Nombe cross.

The latter then had the next sight of goal on 22 minutes, but the forward fired over.

City goalkeeper Craig King was called into action at the end of the half, keeping out a Bradley Goldberg shot.

With the weather continuing to deteriorate, a pink ball was introduced for the second period.

City began to establish control and took the lead on 60 minutes when Matt Paterson found Sinclair, who slotted home past goalkeeper Bailey Vose.

City were dealt a blow when Godfrey Poku was stretchered off with a serious looking knee injury.

And they soon found themselves pegged back when substitute Jamie Philpot headed home Welling’s equaliser on 73 minutes.

However, parity lasted just three minutes.

Grant robbed Callum Driver of possession and played in Nombe, who poked past Vose for his sixth goal since joining the club on loan from Milton Keynes Dons last month.

Victory was then wrapped up in the 90th minute when Grant cut inside on to his right foot to curl home and lift City further away from the drop zone with eight games to play.

Oxford City: King, Jones, Stevens, Poku (Fofana 67), Musonda, Oastler, Nombe (Cotter 87), Fleet, Paterson, Sinclair, Grant. Unused subs: McEachran, Godwin-Malife, Forde.

Attendance: 404.