Leamington 4 Oxford City 0: Flanagan shines as floundering Oxford are sunk by Brakes’ four-goal salvo

It was a new-look side that took to the pitch with Nathan Hicks and Reece Flanagan making their home debuts and Aron Wint his first start since joining at the beginning of the month.

Walsall loanee Flanagan was the standout performer in a fine all-round team display, scoring a sublime second goal and helping to set up the third for Hicks.

The opening exchanges revealed little of what was to come, the visitors doing the majority of the pressing without unduly troubling Tony Breeden’s goal, but in Leamington’s first serious attack on ten minutes the game exploded into life.

From a throw-in on the right, Nathan Hicks skilfully manoeuvred his way into the box and rolled a perfect ball into the centre for Lee Chilton to crash it into the net past Matt Bulman.

Oxford tried to respond, Viv Soloman-Otabor firing in a shot from distance that was deflected behind for a corner but Brakes were carrying the greater goal threat now, Bulman diving full length to make a great save as Wint connected first time with a ball into the box.

The keeper then did well to punch away another well-struck effort from Danny Newton.

Leamington were not be denied for too long, however, with Flanagan showing the 389 crowd just why Saddlers’ boss Dean Smith rates him so highly.

Beating Paul Stonehouse with a neat nutmeg the youngster chased the ball to the touchline, doing well to keep it in play and repeating the trick as the same player closed him down again. He then danced past two more retreating defenders before arrowing a low drive into the net from a tight angle with the aid of a slight deflection; an outstanding individual goal.

Tom Winters saw a shot cleared by Liam Daly as Mike Ford’s side tried to find some kind of rhythm.

A good counter-attack was wasted by a wayward shot from Mike Symons, with the big striker failing to realise how much time and space he had at his disposal. His profligacy was further punished as Leamington added a third nine minutes before half-time with another finely crafted goal.

Stroking the ball around with confidence, play was moved out to the right. Flanagan accepted a return pass before placing a lovely ball in for Hicks to turn his man just inside the box and delicately curl a low shot beyond Bulman and into the far corner.

Wint almost made it four just prior to the interval, dispossessing Stonehouse on the edge of the box before firing over.

Oxford made two substitutions as the second half began but any fears that Paul Holleran’s side would sit back on their lead were soon quashed when Hicks’ rising drive from the edge of the box clipped the top of the crossbar.

It was one-way traffic with Lee Chilton curling a shot just wide from the left, Newton glancing a cross past the post when he should have hit the target and Hicks setting up Wint for a shot that Bulman claimed easily.

The Oxford keeper did well to deny Newton again as he rampaged towards goal, getting something on the ball to deflect it behind.

However, the striker finally got his goal in the 65th minute, pouncing on the loose ball to crash it into the net after Bulman had parried James Mace’s downward header.

Brakes were really enjoying themselves now and skipper Stephan Morley almost got in on the act, Bulman just getting a hand to the ball as the left-back went past him, Daly heading over from the resulting corner.

Matt Dodd had plenty of opportunities to stretch his legs as he was introduced off the bench and almost set up fellow substitute Ricky Johnson, only for Mark Preece to intercept and clear the danger.

BRAKES: Tony Breeden, Ryan Higgins, Stephan Morley, Joe Magunda, Liam Daly, James Mace, Aron Wint (Matt Dodd, 74), Reece Flanagan, Danny Newton, Nathan Hicks (Lee Moore, 71), Lee Chilton (Ricky Johnson, 80). Subs not used: David McNamee, Peter Till.

Oxford City: Matt Bulman, Darren Pond, Paul Stonehouse, Michael Pook, Mark Preece, Chris Wilmott, Viv Solomon (Josh O’Hanlon, 60), Darren Mullings, Mike Symons, Kayden Jackson (Adam Learoyd, 46), Tom Winters (Zac McEachran, 46). Subs not used: Declan Benjamin, Andy Ballard.