Well, another night under the candles and the second home win in a row for the Tigers. It didn't start too bright but that was before the ref (we'll come back to him later) blew the first whistle as our floodlights were not flooding or even lighting until Acun ran down from his lounge to put a tenner in the meter and then, just like that...We had a game on. Albeit a minute or so later.

Happy with the line up and as expected Crooks replaced the banned Pedro up top and we started off as usual on the front foot right from kick off. Kamara looking bright again along with Crooks doing a decent job in the early stages both with good chances in the first 10 minutes. Oxford more shyly at first, backed up in their own half but despite City having the more dominant presence on the pitch, the U's pushed us further back into our half, making breaking out slightly more long winded and by the 35th minute were pressing us at the edge of our own box.

Our first real effort was a stalled celebration and unified shout of "Yeah Ohhh!" was a drive from Lewie Coyle some way out that fizzed past Cumming's right hand post that would have made it 1 - 0 to City and an assist for Gelhardt. Speaking of which, Joe, usually a player of perfection or close to it, hadn't calibrated his scope for the first hour of the game and misfired twice well over the bar after some nifty footwork on both occasions.

Ruben very much absent in the tech area all game and being a pedestrian first half we could have done with him to put some spark into what I thought was a 2nd gear run out. No one played poorly but no one really stood out and my prediction of a low score or nil nil draw looked good value for money as we went in at half time goalless. The one highlight was on the 45 + 1 whistle and the scuffle between Crooks and a few Oxford players after downing Mills that then escalated into a two team, all in, shoving match setting the tone for the second half.

Seconds out. Round two.

Oxford not really showing any intent during the first half apart from one or two shots across the bow, came out a slightly more energetic side and the focus for us was to fend off the first ten minutes or so hex, as we seem to have adopted the trait that the opposition catches us napping on the 2nd start of a game and scores.

Rodrigues and Mills for Oxford started to make an impact and a threat started to appear but before we could adjust to that, Mills was replaced by number 7, Placheta on 63 minutes to refresh their right flank.

Now normally a player for a player would be good sportsmanship. But replacing Mills for an intercontinental ballistic missile is just not cricket. The speed of than man was phenomenal and changed the whole game for Oxford and put an extra demand on our defence forcing Hughes to concede a corner just moments later.

From the resulting corner and a Phillips assist it was Helik who struck a sublime shot as crisp as you like from the center of the box that swept past Pandur's outstretched reach. 1 - 0 Oxford just 3 minutes later.

It was at this point, the match really got going and the shot in the arm that was needed and fans searched hard to find for the previous 70 or so minutes. Ruben responded before the restart could be taken with a triple sub. Crooks who had ran out of steam for Palmer, Burstow on for Joseph who in my view had the worse game yet. Not on one single occasion did he complete a passage of play. Every single attempted cross was blocked and he was shut down, boxed up and put on a shelf by ter Avest at right back by the time he walked off. Slater on for Alzate was the other.

Now we looked interested with Burstow breathing some life into the left flank to good effect and finally it was Gelhardt who wrestled through Oxfords back line and tucked away the equaliser just 7 minutes later to the relief of 18,500 City fans. Less one or two I saw leaving straight after the Oxford goal.

Another MOM performance for me was Puerta who had an industrial shift all night and his goal that was credited as an own goal by Cummings was superbly crafted with a determined battle down the line and drilling the ball through the eye of a needle in the shape of a keepers leg and near post. 2 - 1 City and on for another fighting come back victory.

Now back to the "ref". He had been giving Oxford everything and us nothing all second half but the decision on Puerta in the 97th minute was mind boggling. Puerta breaking free from the last defender after a counter, was deliberately pushed in the back. He goes down face first and out of control. The "person" in blue gives him the second yellow card of the night, adding up to a mandatory red for simulation.

Ray Charles would have argued against that decision. Anyway, the whistle goes a minute later and City come away deserved winners, another 3 points up the table while Josh Smith the alleged "ref" came off to a cacophony of Boos and a barrage of fan style disgruntlement. Most of it from me it's been alleged.

I could get used to these home wins. UTT.