North Leigh 2 - 2 Didcot Town

A blood and thunder local derby on this hot and sunny afternoon finished with honours even after the home side took the lead midway through the first half with Didcot Town equalising in first half injury time and then taking an early second half lead with North Leigh pegging them back a few minutes later. In a frantic last ten minutes both sides had chances to seal the win but in the end a draw was probably a fair result.

In a canny opening 15 minutes with both sides feeling the other out, neither side had a clear cut chance. For Didcot Sam Elkins had an early free kick 10 yards outside the Leigh box saved by Matt Bulman in goal for Leigh and at the other end a good run and centre down the left by Leigh's Michael Hopkins was slightly overhit for Callum McNish running in at the far post.

With Didcot fielding John Mills, Pablo Haysham and Jimmy Deabill up front, their goal threat was ever present and indeed an early Deabill shot saw Bulman push the ball around the post for a corner.

The opening goal came on 18 minutes slightly against the run of play as Jon Else for Leigh out wide right cut inside fullback James Organ and put in a deep cross that cleared McNish in the box and the two Didcot centrebacks to Hopkins 5 yards from goal. As the ball dropped he clipped a clean right foot shot into the far corner past keeper James Foster.

The goal energised Leigh and McNish went close on 25 minutes from a Stuart Hole free kick as his shot from close range was saved by Foster. On 40 minutes the game was held up for several minutes following a leg injury to Elkins who had to be stretchered off to be replaced at full back by Jamie Heapy. Shortly after this hold up Kieran Sanders for Leigh had the ball in the net following a corner but was ruled offside. As the game went deep into injury time a ball from inside the Didcot half was pumped up into the Leigh box and found John Mills between Leigh defenders Zak Westlake and Andy Caton. Mills brought the ball under control in a flash and hit an unstoppable shot past Bulman from 12 yards for the equaliser.

HT: North Leigh 1 - 1 Didcot Town

The second half carried on in similar vein with a centre by Didcot into the Leigh box headed on by Deabill to Mills who in turn headed just wide. A few minutes later a good run and cross by Sanders saw Didcot's Adam Learoyd scramble the ball out for a corner with Leigh's Morgan Williams ready to pounce. However on 55 minutes it was that man Mills again for Didcot who latched on to a Deabill header at the far post. He still had work to do but he controlled the ball swivelled and hit a cross shot past a couple of defenders from 10 yards out that crept in at the far post.

Leigh hit back strongly and on 59 minutes midfielder Brian Bowles went on a mazy run from just inside the Didcot half past a couple of Didcot defenders and into the box. He got lucky with a rebound but he carried on and hit a right foot shot from 6 yards out and although Foster got a hand to it, couldn't prevent it crossing the goal line.

The remaining half hour saw both sides streaming forward at every opportunity seeking the vital winning goal. Mills put clear by Deabill on 71 minutes blasted over from the edge of the box and likewise Williams on 85 minutes had a rush of blood and hit the ball high and wide less than 3 yards out after good work by Sanders had cut open the Didcot defence.

FT: North Leigh 2 - 2 Didcot Town

North Leigh: Bulman, Else, Hopkins, Hole, Westlake, Caton, Bowles, Osborne-Ricketts, Williams, Sanders, McNish (A Woodley 90+1) Subs not used: Gunn, Hughes, Linford-Pill

Didcot Town: Foster, Elkins (Heapy 43), Organ (Longford 76), Self, Carnell, Learoyd, M Woodley, Baines (Dutton-Black), Mills, Haysham, Deabill Sub not used: Powell

Referee: Mr Chris Kidd - Bicester

Attendance: 141

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