Sharper Shooting sees Radley home

A Kidlington team minus two key players gave an excellent account of themselves at Radley, but ultimately the home team proved more adept at converting their chances and ran out 5-2 winners.

Kidlington took a first half lead in the first game with Jamie Slevin converting from close range after the Radley keeper had made a good save. They held the lead comfortably until half time. The visiting defence of Fraser Day and converted centre-forward Callum Rolfe played excellently throughout, while Marcus Tranter kept dangerous Radley play-maker Steffan Allen fairly quiet.

With the wind at their backs however, Radley broke through early on in the second half through a long range effort from Kieron Hill. As Radley committed more players forward, Kidlington found themselves increasingly outnumbered at the back and Joe Keighery made an excellent save to keep the score level. The brilliant Allen was not to be denied however. Despite being frustrated for much of the game, he kept battling and finally managed to turn his marker and shoot right into the corner of the net, converting his only real chance in the game, to give Radley the lead. With the Kidlington midfield pushing forward for an equaliser, Finlay Irving finished well for Radley to see them home 3-1 in the first game.

Kidlington dominated most of the second game and created a succession of chances without converting any of them, and had keeper Archie Devlin to thank for a save which kept the first half goalless.

The match turned however on a couple of minutes in the second half. Firstly an alert Jack Kent profited from a quickly taken throw, finishing well to put Radley ahead. Then keeper Devlin watched helplessly as his clearance of a Radley corner bounced back off one of his team-mates and ricocheted into the goal.

Kidlington kept going however and deservedly got some reward when an effort from Judahne Medley was deflected into his own goal by a Radley defender to make the score 2-1. Kidlington's defensive pairing of Archie Littlewood and Ben Merrill always looked in command as the visitors continued to create chances but the final whistle came, leaving Radley 5-2 winners in a very entertaining and fairly even game.