FA First Round Replay: Oxford City 1 Redbridge 2 (after extra time)

Ben Bradbury’s extra time strike sealed this Redbridge team a place in their history books with a 2-1 win over Oxford City.

The visitors dominated the opening 20 minutes of the game, and should have broke the deadlock on a couple of occasions, with defender Matt Turpin wasting the best of the lot.

Firstly he saw one header from a Billy Sendall long throw well saved by home keeper Keith McLoughlin, then completely misdirected the second from another of those dangerous Sendall throw-ins.

Nathan Gordon had seen his downward header already tipped over by McLoughlin and it was against the run of play that Oxford took the lead.

With their first real period of pressure Lee Steele shot low past keeper Adam Rafis from Felipe Barcelos’ ball in.

That livened the hosts up and Rafis was forced into a fingertip save to deny both Adam Learoyd and Andy Ballard.

It was a quiet opening to the second half until it sparked into life when James Robinson was brought down inside the box and Redbridge had a lifeline.

Ben Bradbury missed the spot kick but Gordon reacted quickest to net the rebound.

Both sides went in search for a winner, and once again the Motormen called on Rafis to keep out substitute Declan Benjamin’s effort and that was enough to force extra time.

And Redbridge gained the upper hand when Bradbury was found wide on the left unmarked.

He beat his man and then fired a low shot through the legs of McLoughlin.

But the fog which had descended on and off throughout the match took a turn for the worse, and thoughts were of whether it would finish.

Terry Spillane’s side had chances to seal the win but McLoughlin was on hand to deny Gardner from a one-on-one then Gordon from the rebound.

Redbridge: Rafis, Sendall (Haywood 95), Durrant, Turpin, Golby, Trenkel, Bradbury, Hopkins (Gardner 62), Dark, Robinson (Murray 90+2), Gordon.

Subs: St Hilaire, Wood, Hepburn, Haywood, Wootten.