Oxford City go top as Marsh, Carroll and Francillette beat Merthyr

Wednesday 28 October 2026 · By Imogen Thurlby

Oxford City went top of the Enterprise National League North on Tuesday night, beating Merthyr Town 3–0 at the MGroup Stadium thanks to goals from Tyrone Marsh, Carroll and Francillette.

The club’s match report says that Marsh opened the scoring in the 18th minute after a scramble in the Merthyr goalmouth, Carroll curled in a second from the edge of the area in the 77th minute, and Francillette headed in the third from Tetek’s delivery in the 83rd. Tetek had come on as a substitute in the 78th minute.

The first half was a fairly even contest. Marsh forced Jaimie Cogman into a fine save in the seventh minute, and Francillette glanced a back-post header just wide in the 15th. Merthyr tested goalkeeper Maxted in the 33rd minute and had a free-kick that skimmed the top of the bar, before Marsh left the woodwork shaking with a long-range effort in the 42nd minute.

In the second half, Nelson cleared off the line in the 53rd minute to keep Merthyr out. Pollock put the ball in the net directly from a corner in the 64th minute, but the goal was ruled out for a foul in the build-up. After Carroll’s goal, the visitors fired an unmarked chance over the bar before Francillette made the game safe.

The win takes Ross Jenkins’s side to 27 points from 13 games, one ahead of Hereford and South Shields on 26. Oxford have won eight, drawn three and lost two, scoring 25 goals and conceding only eight, which is the joint-best defensive record in the division, level with Hereford.

They are unbeaten in their last five league games, a run that has brought three wins and two draws since their last defeat. Only the champions are promoted automatically, so staying ahead of Hereford and South Shields is the priority.

The calendar is demanding. South Shields visit on Saturday 31 October at 15:00 GMT in a meeting of the top and third-placed sides, which are separated by one point.

Then comes the biggest night of the season so far. Oxford City host Leicester City in the FA Cup first round on Friday 6 November, with kick-off at 19:45 GMT, and the tie will be shown live on TNT Sports. General sale tickets go on sale at 12:00 GMT tomorrow, Thursday 29 October.

After that, the league resumes with a trip to Darlington on Tuesday 10 November at 19:45 GMT. The FA Trophy second round takes Oxford to Newmarket Town on Saturday 14 November, and Macclesfield visit on Tuesday 17 November.

For Merthyr, who are 20th, it was a second straight defeat, and they are winless in their last six league games. Oxford’s performance offered a reminder of why they now sit top.

No manager reaction from Jenkins had been published at the time of writing.