With 2nd place in the Division already guaranteed the lads wanted to move around positions; however Ian said this could only be done once the game was won. If they were 4-0 up at half time then things would be changed around, however Kidlington were not going to just roll over. Jack and Aiden were away on a school German exchange trip so Stephen had a start at right back.
Wickham attacked from the start but the first real chance came in the 5th minute as a throw in on the left found Fraser who wet down the line. He clipped the ball into the middle where Max and AO were closing in. Max got there firs but hit his shot just over the bar. In the 9th minute there was almost a repeat but this time Fraser’s cross was headed just wide by AO at the back post. A minute later another attack down the left saw the ball come into Ben who gave it back to Fraser but his shot was blocked. The resulting corner saw the ball flicked on at the near post but Ollie could not get any power into his header which was saved. In the 12th minute a Kidlington attack was stopped with a ball up the middle. Ben beat off the defender but the keeper made the save with his legs. Kidlington always looked dangerous on the break but in the 17th minute some lovely one touch football involving Luke, Max, Fraser and Ben eventually saw Ben clear to play a delicate chip over the keeper for 1-0. Kidlington went long from the centre but a powerful header from Josh, found Ollie. He chipped the ball over the defenders for Ben to run onto and he again chipped the keeper but this time it was not quite hard enough and a defender was able to recover and clear. Kidlington were now attacking hard down the left and in the 26th minute the winger got clear and was allowed to cut into the box and drill the ball across Ben and into the back of the net. Wickham had 3 corners towards the end of the half all of which caused panic in the Kidlington defence but none could be converted.
One each was not the half time score line the lads were looking for so after a quick talking to it was back out to get the result. In the second minute the ball was flying around the Kidlington 6 yard box as AO, Max, Fraser and Ben all had efforts blocked before the ball was eventually cleared. Two minute later Wickham got back in front as Fraser got behind the right back cut into the box and as the keeper came out hit it across him toward the far post. Ben attempted to catch up with the ball but fortunately it hit the far post and went in. Wickham were nervous in midfield and now seemed to be missing Jordie’s calming influence. In the 8th minute a sliced shot from Luke found it’s was out to Ollie who headed it back into the middle where Ben slammed it home but he was given offside. A minute later Ben is one on one with the keeper but he saves with his legs and then repeats the save two minutes later this time after Ollie was sent through. This was then the story of the next few minutes as cutting passes were made but the keeper either got to the ball first or made the save. With 18 minutes gone Luke was substituted for Harry, who immediately played the ball between centre back and full back for AO to run onto and drive the ball into the back of the net. This was the start of a mad four minutes. Kidlington restarted the game but their long ball was cleared by Jordan. His header found Ben who laid it back to Fraser who then sent Max through the middle to score with ease. Wickham again won the ball back from the centre as AO switch the ball to Fraser on the left. He broke through and got his shot away which the keeper saved but there was Max to thump the ball into an empty net for 5-1. Two minutes later the Kidlington linesman gave a handball against his captain which Ollie duly put away. With six minutes left Tom now moved to left wing and Jordan to centre forward, with Ben dropping to midfield and Ollie to centre back. The play still remained reasonable smooth and their was still time for Jordan so rise to head in a Max corner for a 7-1 victory. It was fitting for the skipper to score the last goal of what was an excellent season for the OML lads. There were only 4 defeats in 23 games with only 1 of them coming in the last 17 games. Here’s looking forward to Division B next year.
There was a clear winner of the Player of the Day award this week. Having played in a different role to normal he was still able to burst through to score twice and have a big impact on the game it went to Max.
