Abingdon United stopped the rot as they secured their Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West status with a derby-day victory over ten-man Didcot – their first win in 16 games.

The last time Abingdon won in the League was on Boxing Day when they beat Didcot 3-0 and the visitors again fully deserved their victory.

This was a typical local derby, with Didcot ending the game with ten men.

Didcot started well against a strong wind and went ahead through Denilson Vincente on 20 minutes.

Didcot’s Alex Stanley and Abingdon’s Sam Packer were both booked for reckless challenges as tempers threatened to boil over.

Abingdon’s Adam Kingsbeer hit the bar and Jon Beames denied Luke Carnell before they levelled when Sam Collier fired in.

Moments after the break Kingsbeer netted from close range to make it 2-1.

Packer added No 3 with a shot into the far corner.

Didcot back into contention when Vincente volleyed home from 20 yards to set-up a grandstand late 25 minutes.

The home side were reduced to ten men when Lee Henderson was sent off after clashing with Abingdon’s assistant manager Mark Collier.

Beames then denied Kingsbeer with a stunning block.

Vincente almost levelled, late on, but fired over after James Foster had spilled the ball.

Didcot Tn: Beames, Elkins, Owens, Henderson, Peirson, Stanley (Halls 46), Thomas (Hodgkins 84), Heapy, Vincente, Odhiambo (Mudge 88), Davis Subs not used: Feaver, Halliday.

Abingdon Utd: Foster, Biddle, Angell (Bird 74), Allaway, Carnell, Evans, Kingsbeer, Packer (Doyle 67), Collier (Christodoulou 89), Young, Parfitt Subs not used: Longford, Smith.

Attendance: 131.