DIDCOT Town keeper Leigh Bedwell saved a penalty as they beat Slimbridge 1-0 to record their first Evo-Stik Southern League victory of 2017.

Their ten-match winless run in Division 1 South & West, going back to Boxing Day, was ended by George Reid’s superb free-kick at the Draycott Engineering Loop Meadow Stadium.

Slimbridge edged the first-half chances, but Ben Whitehead’s shot into the midriff of Slimbridge keeper Marcus Beauchamp was the only effort on target.

All the drama came in the second period.

Four minutes after the break, Slimbridge defender Edward Ward handled 25 yards out to give Didcot a free-kick.

Reid took a few paces back before hammering an unstoppable strike into the top left-hand corner past the startled Beauchamp.

Reid could have doubled Didcot’s lead but the keeper blocked his shot.

The miss looked as if it could prove expensive a few minutes later when James Organ was adjudged to have brought down substitute Ryan Thwaite and conceded a penalty.

But Slimbridge captain Lee Smith’s spot-kick lacked power and Bedwell, having dived too far, blocked the ball with a trailing leg for a second successive penalty save.

George Jeacock missed two openings to kill the game off but the Railwaymen saw the match out with few alarms.

Didcot Tn: Bedwell, Thomas, Janes, Ballard, Organ, Learoyd, Barder, McNish, B Whitehead, Joyce (Jeacock 63), Reid (Thorne 81). Subs not used: H Whitehead, Andrady, Hoskin.

Attendance: 134.

North Leigh, who need to win the vast majority of their games to have any chance of making the play-offs, were frustrated after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Wimborne Town.

The Millers suffered an early blow, going behind after just eight minutes.

A pass from midfield found Luke Holmes unmarked on the right side of Leigh’s penalty area.

His hard, low shot was saved by Manny Agboola, but the keeper could not hold on to the ball which fell kindly for Wimborne’s top-scorer Tobias Holmes who netted

Two minutes later, the hosts had a glorious chance to equalise, but George Seacole missed the ball as it flew across the face of goal.

Wimborne had a charmed life, with two shots being headed off the line.

However, on 39 minutes, the visitors’ luck finally ran out when their keeper Gerald Benfield rushed out to collect the ball.

Seacole challenged the keeper, who spilled the ball, providing a gift to North Leigh man who clipped it into the unguarded net.

The anticipation was that Millers would go on and take all three points in the second half.

However, despite dominating they play, they could not score again.

North Leigh: Agboola, Lymn, D James, Turk, Wellon, Sysum, Thomas, L Williams (Cook 65), Seacole, Napa (R James 59), Hopkins (M Williams 82). Subs not used: Fawke, Wyatt.

Attendance: 59.

Wantage Town are not going down without a fight.

Although apparently doomed for relegation, the Alfredians earned a battling 0-0 draw away to Mangotsfield United.

With Cameron McNeil and Charlie Wise in dominant form at the back, Wantage restricted the hosts to few chances, while their best efforts came from Mark Francis and Jim Glover.

ANACLET Odhiambo scored his 25th goal of the season as Kidlington drew 1-1 at home to Bedford Town in Division 1 Central on Saturday.

However the draw ended the Green’s super sequence of six successive wins.

Odhiambo put the hosts ahead in the 32nd minute, but Jamale McKenzie-Lowe replied two minutes into the second half for a share of the spoils.

Kidlington deservedly held the interval lead after a half in which Eric Odhiambo hit the crossbar with a curling shot and Mark Janes saw his shot brilliantly saved by visiting keeper Enol Ordonez-Saurez.

The second half really came to life after Bedford’s equaliser with end-to-end football.

Anaclet Odhiambo had the ball in the net again in the 70th minute.

But the effort was chalked off for offside.

Kidlington’s defence had to be at their best to keep the visitors at bay, although they remained dangerous on the break

Kidlington: Tetek, Quainton, Castle, Willoughby (Flanagan 74), Franklin, Gabbidon, Coyle (Dunmall 82), Osborne-Ricketts, A Odhiambo, E Odhiambo, Janes. Subs not used: Harvey, Whitehead.

Attendance: 78.