With new manager Julian McCalmon deciding on a watching brief Jermain McSporran and Paul Harwood took charge of team affairs and delivered the best possible result to kick start Kidlington’s season.
With a whole plethora of players missing because of injury or suspension The Greens were still able to name a good starting line-up which included new signing Lewis Gabbidon in the middle of midfield.
When it got underway the match started cautiously with neither side looking to push to many players forward thus not being exposed to any breakaway attacks.
There were not too many chances in the opening half hour with generally both defences being on top and neither keeper was unduly troubled until the latter stages of the half.
Kidlington’s keeper Sam Warrell looked in particularly commanding form whenever he was called into action, but in the main his duties were limited to the odd catch or fist away.
The opening goal came very much toward the end of what I saw as a pretty mediocre half but when it did it lit the place up. A sloppy pass out from the back form a Fleet defender was charged down and the ball fed out to Kristian Thomas on the right flank. Thomas charged forward and picked the perfect cross for Jack Dunmall who’d sprinted in the visitors box. Dunmall turned and flicked the ball toward goal and although keeper Ryan Pryce managed to get a hand to it he couldn’t prevent it going in, 1 – 0 to Kidlington in the 41st minute.
The score remained at 1 – 0 as we went in at half time.
At the very start of the second half Kidlington almost increased their lead when a Tommy Castle effort was somehow prevented from crossing the line by a combination of keeper and away defender Josh Harfield.
This only proved to jolt the away side into life and for the first time in the match Fleet were pushing on with numbers and pressing Kidlington onto the back foot.
Sam Warrell saved brilliantly from a fierce Pat Cox shot and only a couple of minutes later turned a rasping drive from Ben White round the post for a corner. From this corner kick White found an equalising goal when he jumped highest to powerfully head home for 1 – 1 in the 52nd minute.
With Fleet now looking to grab the ascendancy the Kidlington bench swiftly made a substitution to strengthen the midfield area. The silky skills of James McCarthy was sacrificed to allow the more defensive minded Ben Willoughby to enter into the fray.
Almost immediately this tactical move started to pay dividends as Kidlington were soon able to stem what looked like becoming a tide of attacks and things were soon far more even.
By the 60 minute mark Kidlington were looking the stronger of the two sides and only a last ditch tackle and then a fine stop from Pryce prevented The Greens from taking the lead. Kidlington did find a way through shortly after this when some fine work on the left by Tommy Castle was seized on by Jack Dunmall, the striker form inside the box fired a fierce shot home for 2 – 1 in the 67th minute.
Kidlington for the first time this season were playing with some swagger and when a defensive blunder by Keeper Pryce and central defender Harfield was seized on by Jack Dunmall he smashed the ball home for 3 – 1 to complete and well deserved hatrick in the 75th minute.
After this goal Fleet threw everything they had left at Kidlington, but to shore things up The Greens brought on Jack Quainton and Jason Smith for Kristian Thomas and Callum Harvey and were able to see the rest of the game out quite comfortably.
So in the matter of a couple of days Kidlington have a new manager, a new player and a first vital league win of the season. Next up is a trip to bottom side Histon for a league match next Saturday afternoon.

COYG