Greens defy heat to beat Millers

Dan West taking a first-half free kick for North Leigh.

Kidlington 2-0 North Leigh

Brad Walton and an own goal from George Gilmore gave Kidlington victory against Oxfordshire rivals North Leigh in the FA Trophy on Saturday.

In sweltering heat, North Leigh had started the brighter with chances for Greg Hackett and Jamal Branker saved by Jack Hopwood.

Kidlington struck twice in six minutes towards the end of the first half, Walton lobbing James Foster, who was caught off his line, before Gilmore turned into his own net.

The conditions told in the second half with North Leigh struggling to find a route back into the game, and Kidlington came closest to getting a third in stoppage time when Tom Moore hit the crossbar.

Kidlington will host Exmouth Town in the Second Qualifying Round in two weeks’ time after they beat Wimborne Town on penalties.

Conditions at Yarnton Road were uncomfortably warm and inevitably made for a bitty game with chances on goal limited and numerous stoppages, particularly in the second half when cramp became a factor.

The hosts came into this game fresh, having not played since the victory at Thame United, and they named an unchanged XI. Gilmore and Branker joined new signing Anton Dworzak in coming in for North Leigh from their defeat to Aylesbury United last weekend.

After a cagey opening 20 minutes or so, the Millers asserted themselves into the game quicker. Several decent moves come to nought but Hackett came closest just before a much-needed drinks break, cutting in from the left wing and striking just wide of the right post.

Not long after the resumption, Dan West teed up Branker for a shot inside the box, but Hopwood used his feet to keep the effort out.

It was somewhat against the run of play when Walton spotted his chance with Foster advanced from his goal. The winger then created Kidlington’s second, with his cross deflecting into the goal via the unfortunate Gilmore.

Ryan Knight may well have turned the cross in himself without Gilmore’s intervention, and he was millimetres from a goal soon after the break, just failing to get to an excellent cross by George Cowmeadow.

Finley Ryan-Phillips, who had replaced Connor Ferguson, had two chances saved by Foster, but it was a quiet second half. North Leigh could only create half chances, for example Lance Williams heading wide and Lynton Goss, after a quiet game by his standards, heading straight to Hopwood late on.

Deep into stoppage time, the best chance of the half followed swiftly after as Foster was caught off his line against and Moore this time lobbed the ball over him, but this time the North Leigh keeper was saved by the crossbar.

It was just a third win in the FA Trophy for Kidlington, and victory over Exmouth would be the first time they have progressed into three rounds of the competition. North Leigh, on the other hand, will turn their attention to the league.

Kidlington (4-2-3-1): Hopwood; Jenkins, Richards, Smith, Flanagan; Gardner, Moore; Walton (Bessasa-Grant 63’), Ferguson (Ryan-Phillips 59’), Cowmeadow; Knight (Joseph 90+10’). Unused subs: Rotten, Walton.

North Leigh (4-2-3-1): Foster; Thorne, Gilmore, Morrison, Dore (Cotter 81’); Tutton (Williams 69’), Dworzak; Branker (Hopkins 57’), West, Hackett; Goss. Unused sub: Peart.

Goals: Walton 35’, Gilmore 41’ (OG).

Booked: Ferguson, Jenkins, Knight, Flanagan; Thorne, Hackett.

Attendance: 136.