JOSH Ashby sank his former club as Oxford City beat Oxford United to retain the Oxfordshire Senior Cup.

The ex-U’s midfielder fired home midway through the second half as the Vanarama National League South club edged an entertaining final at Court Place Farm.

A young United side took the lead after seven minutes through captain Tyler Goodrham, but Joe Iaciofano quickly responded and City’s experience became more apparent as the game progressed.

Ashby’s strike secured the Vanarama National League South club’s third successive Senior Cup in the competition’s first final since 2019.

Elliot Benyon set the tone for an entertaining contest with two chances in the first five minutes, drawing a good save from Fraser Barnsley before heading the resulting corner wide.

United went straight up the other end and Goodrham gave them the lead with a sensational strike. Will Owens’ cross sat up nicely for the U’s captain and he volleyed past Ben Dudzinski from the edge of the penalty area.

City responded well and took just eight minutes to equalise. Erion Zabeli brilliantly blocked one shot, only for the ball to fall kindly for Iaciofano to fire low into the net.

The chances kept coming and most seemed to fall Benyon’s way – the forward headed against the top of the crossbar, before he was thwarted by Barnsley just before the half-hour mark when the goalkeeper made himself big to save.

The chances dried up as the interval approached, although the lower-division side ended the first period stronger.

City picked up where they left off after the break and Ashby fired a fierce shot through the crowd two minutes into the second half, with Barnsley getting down well to save.

Owens then should have restored United’s lead when he met Goodrham’s excellent cross at the back post, but the winger could not keep his effort down.

United’s captain sent in another cross from a similar position moments later and Gatlin O’Donkor converted, only to be flagged offside.

An even contest needed another goal and it came from one of the many players on the pitch who has featured for both clubs.

Unfortunately for United, it was Ashby in the blue and white of City who scored the crucial second.

The National League South club kept an attack alive after a corner flashed across the face of goal, with the midfielder converting the follow-up cross from six yards out.

Both sides made substitutions in the latter stages, with former U’s winger Alfie Potter lasting just four minutes before he was brought off with an apparent injury.

Oxford City (3-5-2): Dudzinski, Asare, Carroll, Rowan, Clark (Owusu 59), Ashby, Fleet, Coyle (Potter 79 (Dasilva 83), Harmon, Iaciofano, Benyon.

Unused subs: Matsuzaka, Bancroft.

Booked: Ashby.

Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Barnsley, Franklin (Sade 84), Zabeli, Golding, Elechi, Anifowose, Johnson, Smith, Goodrham (Tiamuna 81), Owens, O’Donkor.

Unused subs: Nosakhare, Davis-Stephenson, Coe.

Booked: Anifowose.