Ethan provides couling influence on scorching day.

On a baking hot Sunday morning in Chalgrove everyone needed cooling down. Fortunately for Kidlington they had brought just the tonic, Ethan Couling scoring twice in a see-saw game which swung both ways before finishing in a hard-fought draw. Chalgrove also had a two-goal hero, with Aston Chapman netting a brace.

Visiting keeper Ben Owen pulled off a great diving save early on to keep Kidlington level but thereafter Kidlington held the advantage territorially for the rest of the half. They looked particularly secure in defence, with Fraser Day having an outstanding half at left back. It was therefore rather against the run of play when Harry Bond put Chalgrove ahead, responding quickest when a miscued pass in midfield suddenly turned into an unintentional back pass. This setback spurred Kidlington to greater efforts however, and that man Couling equalised before skipper Callum Rolfe converted a penalty he had won himself to put the visitors ahead.

Visiting hopes that they would pull away in the second half proved unfounded, however, as Chalgrove largely dominated the second half. A quick fire double from Chapman put them ahead early on, before a (very) long range effort from Couling restored parity. Kidlington took the lead from a rare breakaway, Kyle Rawlins showing great determination to battle past a home defender before blasting home. When Luca Sykes set up Jamie Slevin for number five it looked as if Kidlington had done enough. Undeterred, however, the home team kept battling away and their pressure was eventually rewarded with well taken goals by first Alex Bobbins and then – very late on – Will Monks, earning their team a well-deserved draw in the process.

Well done to both teams for providing such an entertaining game in hot conditions.