Philip John scored in injury time to earn Didcot Town a 4-4 draw in a Christmas cracker of a derby clash against Oxford City at the Loop Meadow Stadium on Saturday.

In an astonishingly fluctating and dramatic Zamaretto Southern League Premier Division contest, the lead changed hands four times.

City opened the scoring after two minutes, but eight minutes later the home side were ahead.

It was 2-2 at half-time, but Didcot took the lead with 15 minutes to go thanks to Mark Draycott’s hat-trick goal.

City, who had Liam Malone sent off, came roaring back to lead 4-3, before John’s late goal ensured a share of the spoils.

A point apiece seemed inadequate for the entertainment the team provided for the large holiday crowd of 511.

But neither side dseerved to lose.

It was City, who got off to the best of starts Mark Bell sent over a free- kick from the left touchline, that was knocked in by Jonathan Douglas.

But Didcot’s response was immediate.

Alex Stanley’s corner fell to Draycott, who found the net through a congested goal area on six minutes.

Four minutes later, the Railway men were in front as Ian Sampson sent over a cross for Draycott to head home.

John had two good chances to extend the home side’s lead. His first strike was wayward, while City keeper Will Puddy made a fine save from his second effort.

The flow of the game in the first half was blighted by frequent free-kicks.

However, from one of them in the 35th minute, City pulled level as Mark Janes finished off from Bell’s delivery.

At the start of the second half, City’s Andy Baird tried a speculative volley that was just off off target.

At the other end, Andy Williams thought he had scored with a close-range effort following Sampson’s cross, but Puddy flicked the ball round a post for a corner.

Didcot went back in front, when Draycott completed his treble with a header from John’s centre.

Five minutes later, City levelled.

Puddy delivered a long clearance upfield to set up Liam Malone, who ran thro-ugh a square defence to score.

With ten minutes left, Malone was dismissed for a second yellow card.

That did not prevent ten-man City attacking, and they thought they had the game won in the 88th minute when substitute Lee Steele rounded home keeper Matt Trott before slotting in the empty net to put them 4-3 ahead.

But the home side were not finished, as in stoppage time John fired in from Stanley's free-kick to complete an amazing match.

Didcot Tn: Trott, Heapy, (Bartley 56) Tabor (Hopkins 45) A Williams, Mortimer-Jones, Stanley, Sampson, Alexis, John, Draycott, Dutton-Black. Subs not used: M Williams, Brown, Castello.

Oxford City: Puddy, Clarke, Davis, Savage, Baird, Gunn, Bell, (Lyon 68), Malone, Douglas (Steele 46), Emery, (Brooks 73) Janes. Subs not used: Ballard, Perpetuini.

Attendance: 511.