Kidlington 2 Oxford United 3 aet

Oxford United twice had to come from behind, and still required extra time, to get past a stubborn Kidlington in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup quarter final this evening. Franny Green scored the first equaliser and Jamie Cook the second before Franny grabbed the winner in the first period of extra time.

Oxford started with a fairly strong line-up that included Billy Turley in goal, Adam Chapman and Kevin Sandwith in the full-back positions alongside Mark Creighton and Henry Owen in central defence. An impressive Lee Fowler was pulling the strings in midfield, with Richard Groves and James Dobson alongside him and the first-team trio of Franny Green, Matt Green, and Jamie Cook up front.

United started the game strongly, but were unable to capitalise as the rutted pitch was never conducive to decent football. Turley was twice called into action before Kidlington took a deserved lead after a mistake by Chapman, whose hospital ball to Owen was intercepted by Jack Quainton, who went on to score after Turley had saved Luke Holden's shot. Green's equaliser arrived on the stroke of half-time, when his shot from the edge of the area was too strong for Rob Hamling to keep out.

Kidlington almost embarrassed United at the start of the second half, when Turley was forced into two excellent saves from Mark Baker and then Holden. However, the Greens took the lead again when a header from a corner bounced off Turley's shins and Jordan Parker prodded the ball over the line before Turley could pull it back into play. The lead lasted just a couple of minutes before United levelled again, this time Cook latched onto a ball from Dobson, took a touch and then rifled home into the far corner.

United took the lead for the first time as Kidlington tired and started to defend in depth. Green was fed the ball and shot high into the net to give Hambling no chance. The keeper then saved well from an acrobatic Green effort before Lee Rendell had a headed goal ruled out for being marginally offside. United saw out the rest of the game and survived the first hurdle in their defence of the trophy. However, Kidlington played superbly and the Oxford boys will know that they were in a battle. Especially Fowler who, as his name suggests, was shown a yellow card.

In tonight's only Conference game, Luton Town won 2-0 at Histon. The Hatters move up one place to seventh, but still have two or three games in hand on most of the team above them (except Oxford, who have played one game more than them). [@opponent]kidlington[/@opponent]