Boston United 2-7 Oxford City

The Pilgrims created chances aplenty going forward, but completely lost their defensive shape as Adi Yussuf and Kynan Isaac both netted twice for the visitors.

Scott Garner had drawn the Pilgrims level after Yussuf's early strike before hitting the bar, while Dayle Southwell also rattled the post, but further first half goals from Javi Rodriguez and Jose Lapoujade put City in command.

Garner cut the deficit inside the first minute of the second half but Oxford responded with Yussuf netting, Isaac bagging a quickfire brace and Tom Winters adding City's seventh.

City, smarting from their 8-1 home defeat to AFC Fylde on Saturday, were quickly out of the blocks and attacked United at will with Rene Steer missing through injury for the Pilgrims.

United keeper Matt Gledhill had already saved from Rodriguez by the time City took the lead on 13 minutes when YUSSUF converted from close-range after Claudiu Hoban's corner had only been partially cleared.

Parity was restored six minutes later when Jamie McGhee's deep corner was headed down by Carl Piergianni and GARNER applied the finishing touch from close-range.

United should have taken the lead when McGhee freed Southwell who smashed his effort into the post after rounding keeper Mark Scott, with Kaine Felix blasting the rebound off target.

Gledhill blocked with his legs to deny Isaac before Garner rattled the crossbar in United's next attack. It proved to be a defining moment with Oxford countering and RODRIGUEZ curling home a 25-yarder which evaded Gledhill's grasp low to his right.

Matters got worse a minute before the break when LAPOUJADE danced through three challenges and fired goalwards with the ball squirming agonisingly under Gledhill and into the net.

The Pilgrims needed a quick response after the break and it arrived in the first minute of the half when GARNER glanced home Zak Mills' long throw for his second of the game.

Oxford soon cut loose though and added three more goals in an 11-minute period. YUSSUF slammed home Isaac's cross before the roles were reversed with ISAAC converting a brilliant left-wing cross from Yussuf.

ISAAC then cut infield to fire home an angled drive which gave Gledhill no chance.

United continued to create and Stefan Galinski's header was beaten away by keeper Scott following Mills' long throw and the Oxford keeper made the save of the match to deny Garner a hat-trick with a firm low drive.

Boston's misery was complete on 75 minutes when WINTERS lashed home a cross from fellow sub Felipe Barcelos.

Oxford finished with 10 men when Lapoujade limped off with all three substitutions made while sub Lewis Wilson was denied an eighth goal for City by a Mills goalline clearance.

Boston (4-3-3): Matt Gledhill; Liam Marrs (Niall Doran 25), Scott Garner, Carl Piergianni (Stefan Galinski 59), Zak Mills; Jamie McGhee, Conor Marshall (Jay Dowie 53), Danny Meadows; David Fallah, Dayle Southwell, Kaine Felix. Subs (not used): Michael Hollingsworth, Sam Vince (gk).

Oxford (4-2-3-1): Mark Scott; Declan Benjamin, Jose Lapoujade, Josh Green, Paul Stonehouse; Darren Mullings, Darren Pond; Claudiu Hoban (Felipe Barcelos 65), Javi Rodriguez, Kynan Isaac (Tom Winters 65); Adi Yussuf (Lewis Wilson 65). Subs (not used): Ander Del Alamo, Ben Brown.

Referee: Ian Dudley.

Attendance: 1,069 (8 visitors).

PIC: Tim Hoff.