The Woods led twice but succumbed to defeat with Kidlington substitute Lewis Coyle being the visitors’ hero by scoring all four goals following an early introduction due to an injury.

With Northwood going into the game unbeaten in four matches, hopes were high for a victory that would keep them well in the top half of the table but in what might be the defining game of the season, they were beaten by a spirited comeback and dropped back into the bottom half.

The visitors started brightly with Elliott Osborne-Ricketts firing wide, Tom Castle having a cross blocked when he should have shot and then Montel Joseph made a comfortable save from an Eric Odhiambo volley.

The Woods had only seen one Louis Stead shot sail wide during those early stages but they then took the lead after 24 minutes. Luke Heneghan and Stead combined to feed Myles Stephenson who steered his shot wide of goalkeeper Sam Warrell for only his fourth goal of the season.

Coyle had replaced the injured Jack Dunmall after just ten minutes and he fired over the top as Kidlington rallied quickly. Then Anaclet Odhiambo had the ball in the net, racing onto a Mark Janes ball but it was ruled out by an offside flag.

But they were not to be denied and after 33 minutes Coyle struck an equaliser with a crisp strike from 25 yards that flew in the top corner. Soon after this a Coyle corner was flicked on by the head of Lewis Gabbidon but Louis Bircham was well placed to clear.

Northwood had not made enough from their possession but there was time for James Budden to get his head to a Heneghan corner just before the break but it was cleared away and the scores were still level at half-time.

It continued to be a very open game in the second-half with Joseph spilling a Castle cross after the full-back had raced past Bircham but the danger was cleared away while at the other end Stephenson forced a save but his shot lacked power.

After Coyle had a low strike palmed wide by Joseph on the hour, Alex Nolan was introduced for Channing Campbell-Young and after 64 minutes the Woods forced their way back in front. Some good approach work on the right led to Bircham sending over a good cross which was laid off to Stead and he cleverly strode into the box before dinking the ball over the ‘keeper for his twelfth of the season.

Unfortunately they failed to hold on to that lead for long. Joseph made a good save to deny Eric Odhiambo but then James Burgess gave away a free-kick with a poor challenge on the edge of the box and Coyle showed his skills from a dead-ball situation with a near curler over the wall and into an empty net for 2-2.

Stead saw another good strike pushed out by Warrell on 72 minutes but the loose ball was cleared and a minute later Gradi Milenge appeared to beat Coyle to a ball in the box but was surprisingly penalised by the award of a penalty. Coyle tucked that away to complete his hat-trick and put his side ahead for the first time.

The Woods never recovered. Anaclet Odhiambo’s stylish overhead kick flew across goal and wide while Coyle shot over the top when well placed before adding a fourth goal on 86 minutes. The Referee appeared to ignore two foul challenges in the build-up, one of which saw Nolan injured enough to have to leave the field for the remaining minutes, leaving the Woods with only ten men.