Ware extended their unbeaten run to five games but they would have hoped for more than a single point from a home game against a side lying third from bottom in the table. But it has to be said that Kidlington did all that was required of them and gained a deserved draw. It was their first point in four games at Wodson Park.

They were another team that seemed filled with tall players. In their green shirts one had the image of Ware’s comparatively diminutive wide men playing in a forest. Still, they found several paths through the trees and were a constant source of threats to the visitors. They carried the attacking burden for Ware and by the final minutes Theo Ofori in particular showed the signs of fatigue from his exertions.

Ware’s problem though was the absence of the still injured Jon Clements and the unavailable Sam Mayuma. That left them without a recognised striker with the result that they had to be content with just one goal from the game.

That goal came from Johnny Allotey in a period during an otherwise even first half when Ware were beginning to have the better of things. For a while the Kidlington defence looked rocky and unable to clear their lines. One skewed clearance found Mackye Townsend-West who carried the ball wide on the Ware left before laying it back to Mitch Hahn. The number four’s well flighted ball into the penalty area caused problems and eventually pinged off a defender to Allotey who turned it in to the net from fifteen yards.

It was a timely goal as Kidlington’s Felix Robertson had come close with a fierce shot just a few minutes before. Fred Burbidge celebrated his century of appearances for the club by blocking the shot on the line. It would have been perfect if it had been the kind of pivotal moment that saw Ware go on to take all three points.

Instead an even second half saw the visitors claim a share of the spoils and it would be hard to say that they didn’t deserve to after competing well for most of the game. That said Ware will not want to be reminded of the equalising goal.

From a position of strength as once again a Kidlington clearance conceded possession to Ware the ball was given away by a careless pass. The visitors broke quickly and for once, with so many men forward, Ware’s defence could only be described as sparse.

Townsend-West was on hand but was immediately faced with two attackers. He had no choice but to go for the man in possession and tried to force him wide but Charles Bacon was having none of it. Cutting inside he shot from the edge of the penalty area and beyond Burbidge to find the net just inside of the far post.

It was now anyone’s game and Ware brought on Gabriel Chapps and George Ironton to try to make a difference. Ironton engineered a good opening with a long, cross field pass but it wasn’t exploited and as time ran down the opportunities were limited.

The final whistle found Kidlington the happier of the two sides, leaving the field to the cheers of their supporters whilst Ware stayed behind in their usual post-match huddle as Paul Halsey delivered his immediate thoughts on their game. There would have been disappointment but on the bright side they are now five games undefeated.

Ware: Fred Burbidge, Jay Rolfe, David Sota, Mitch Hahn (George Ironton 72mins), Mackye Townsend-West, Jack Grosvenor, Johnny Allotey, Jack Dreyer, Theo Ofori, Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo, Joe Dearman (Gabriel Chapps 72mins). Unused subs: Freddy Moncur, Max Granville, Josh Okotcha.