PAUL Carden’s homecoming ended up being played out from a different script than had been planned by Warrington Town.

With four points earned from the returning manager’s two away games in charge, the scene was set to back those displays up with a positive result at Cantilever Park against a struggling Oxford City side.

But the visitors, placed second from bottom, had plans of their own and secured only their second victory of the National League North season – and their first away from home as they stunned Yellows with a 2-0 success.

City’s statement of intent was issued in the opening 15 minutes.

Tom Scott put them ahead after seven minutes as he shot low across Town keeper Dan Atherton.

And the lead was doubled eight minutes later when Zac McEachran arrived at just the right time to steer home a ball that was pulled back for him.

Oxford would have had more goals had it not been for desperate defending on the goal-line by Hamish Douglas, late in the first half, and Evan Gumbs, twice in the second period, blocking shots heading for the net.

Yellows had one of those as well, with a 38th-minute Connor Woods effort being cleared by Aaron Drewe.

In the end, the closest Town came to a goal was in the 94th minute when substitute Peter Clarke’s back-post header was kept out by a combination of keeper Kai McKenzie-Lyle and the crossbar.