The Hoops head to Plainmoor in fine form, with a place in the FA Cup First Round Proper and Monday night’s draw up for grabs.
Torquay United v Oxford City
Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying
Saturday 17 October | 3pm | Plainmoor
There is more than a place in the FA Cup First Round Proper at stake at Plainmoor on Saturday. The winners will be in the hat for Monday night’s draw, when League One and League Two clubs join the competition.
Oxford City arrive after two emphatic wins: 6–1 against Enfield Town in the cup, then 3–0 away to Hebburn Town in the league. They sit third in the National League North, with seven wins from their opening 11 league matches.
United have found their own scoring touch at Plainmoor. The Gulls have hit 11 goals in their last two home games: six against AFC Stoneham in the FA Cup and five against Slough Town last weekend. After the grit of the 1–0 win at Tonbridge Angels, Jimmy Ball’s side will look to bring that momentum into another cup tie in front of the Yellow Army.
THE 60-SECOND GUIDE
Club: Oxford City
Nickname: The Hoops
Home: MGroup Stadium, Marsh Lane
Manager: Ross Jenkins
Current position: 3rd, National League North
League record: Played 11, won 7, drawn 2, lost 2
Latest result: Hebburn Town 0–3 Oxford City
FA Cup run: Dorchester Town 0–2 Oxford City; Oxford City 6–1 Enfield Town
The headline: A confident side, scoring freely and one win away from the First Round Proper.
THE STORY YOU NEED TO KNOW
Oxford City are led by Ross Jenkins, who first took charge in January 2022 and guided the club to the National League for the first time in its history. After a spell at Boreham Wood, he returned to the Hoops in September 2024 and signed a new deal this summer.
Jenkins has reshaped his squad for the new campaign, and Oxford have made a quick start. They have won seven of their 11 league fixtures and carried that confidence into the FA Cup. A 2–0 win at Dorchester Town sent them through to the third qualifying round, where they overwhelmed Enfield Town 6–1.
They followed that with another statement on the road. Tyrone Marsh scored inside three minutes at Hebburn, before Ludwig Francillette and Ellis Brown added second-half goals in a 3–0 victory. The result ended Hebburn’s unbeaten home league run, which had lasted more than a year. Oxford have now gone five matches without defeat.
FAMILIAR FACES AND FRESH ARRIVALS
There are two former Gulls in Oxford’s squad. Tyrone Marsh spent time at Plainmoor in 2015/16, scoring seven goals in 18 appearances. He returned to Oxford this summer after hitting 27 goals for Bedford Town last season, and has already scored eight times for the Hoops this campaign. His early opener at Hebburn was another reminder of how quickly he can punish a defence.
Winger Dillon De Silva first joined Torquay on loan from QPR in October 2022, then returned to Plainmoor permanently the following summer. He made 39 appearances for the Gulls across those two spells before departing in February 2024. De Silva joined Oxford City this summer and is now another familiar face in the visitors’ ranks.
Oxford have also added experience with the arrival of Fernando Forestieri. The 36-year-old has played for Watford and Sheffield Wednesday, as well as clubs in Italy and Spain. He made his City debut from the bench at Hebburn last weekend, and offers Jenkins another option in attack.
MEN TO WATCH
Tyrone Marsh — forward
Marsh combines a familiar Plainmoor connection with a sharp start to the season. He scored 27 goals for Bedford last term and has carried that form into Oxford’s attack. He led the line and scored in the win at Hebburn.
Ludwig Francillette — defender
The 6ft 4in centre-back is a threat at attacking set-pieces. He scored against both Enfield Town and Hebburn, heading home from a corner in the latter. United will need to track his movement when Oxford deliver into the box.
Scott Pollock — midfielder
Pollock scored twice in the 6–1 win over Enfield Town and supplied the corner for Francillette’s goal at Hebburn. He can contribute from open play and from set-pieces, making him one for United to keep track of around the box.
JIMMY’S VIEW
Ball expects an open cup tie between two sides who want to have the ball.
“I think it will be a real ding-dong FA Cup match,” he said. “I like the way they play, I like their attacking style, I like their players and how they do it.”
The United boss says Oxford want to control possession, so the challenge will be to disrupt their rhythm, win the ball and make the most of the space left behind. He does not expect the visitors to sit back and make the game cagey.
WHEN WE LAST MET
The last meeting between the sides is hard to forget. On 26 January 2019, United beat Oxford City 7–2 at Plainmoor in a National League South fixture.
Jake Andrews scored a hat-trick, while Saikou Janneh and Jamie Reid both scored twice in a memorable afternoon. Oxford replied through Josh Ashby and Kabongo Tshimanga.
That result belongs to another season and another set of teams, but it adds another chapter to Saturday’s meeting — the clubs’ first encounter since that nine-goal thriller.
WHAT IS AT STAKE?
There is prize money as well as progress on the line. The winners on Saturday receive £9,375 from the FA prize fund; the losing club receives £3,125.
Progression would put a much larger payment within reach. In the First Round Proper, winners receive £47,750, while the losing clubs receive £15,800. The draw will be made on Monday 19 October at approximately 6.35pm, with the broadcast beginning at 6.30pm on TNT Sports.
BE PART OF IT
United have scored 11 goals across their last two matches at Plainmoor. Now the Gulls need the Yellow Army behind them as they try to take the next step in the cup.
Oxford City (H) FA Cup Match Ticket Prices
- Adults: £10
- Under-18s: £5
