DEPLETED Didcot Town boosted their play-off hopes with a 4-0 win at Barnstaple Town, which pushed them back into the top six.

The Railwaymen had just 13 fit players for their second longest trip of the season in the Evo-Stik South League West Division.

Skipper Adam Learoyd and Felipe Barcelos were absent through family commitments, while Callum McNish started a three-game suspension after last week’s red card.

Despite the reshuffle, it took the visitors just 90 seconds to get onto the scoresheet at the near post.

They made it 2-0 in the tenth minute when stand-in captain Sam Barder ran through and tucked his effort past keeper Rob Holmes.

The game appeared to be over after just 25 minutes as Didcot raced into a three-goal lead.

Jeacock this time turned provider as his cross was met by Williams, whose header was parried into his own net by the diving Holmes.

The hosts improved in the second half forcing Leigh Bedwell into his first save.

But Didcot confirmed victory with Louis Joyce firing home from close range for the visitors fourth in the 55th minute.

With the win and results going in their favour, Didcot moved back into the play off places with five games to go over a two week spell with the League Cup final sandwiched in between against Hitchin Town.

Didcot Tn: Bedwell, Jeacock, Woodley, Hayden, Cattell, McNeill, Agyakwa (Reid 72), Barder, Joyce, Thomas (Humphries 68), Williams. Subs not used: Ballard, Lovegrove.

Attendance: 110.

North Leigh all but secured their safety with a 1-1 draw away to basement club Bishops Cleeve.

Following Shortwood’s imminent withdrawal, the Gloucestershire now occupy the one remaining relegation position.

And they trail the Millers by ten points with just seven games left.

But for a fine display from home keeper Sam Gilder, John Brough’s side would have been even closer to confirming their safety.

After the visitors’ Declan Sheppard hit a post in the 15th minute, they took the lead in the 31st minute, when Josh Thomas scored from George Seacole’s assist.

Three minutes after the break, they conceded an equaliser to Jack Watts, who had earlier hit the woodwork.

The Millers had the upper hand for the rest of the game, but were denied by Gilder, who saved well from Seacole, Thomas and Roger James as the hosts hung on for a point.

North Leigh: Grimshaw, Lymn, Grabe, James, Keightley, Chalmers, Thomas, Simpson, Seacole, Sheppard, Carroll. Attendance: 63.

Kidlington secured their first league victory in more than six weeks, with a 1-0 success at Paulton Rovers.

A brilliant block by Sam Warrell prevented Jack Ball putting the hosts ahead in the first half, while at the other end Conor McDonagh was denied by home keeper Andy Hannah’s full-length save.

Two minutes into the second half, the Green’s scored the winner when McDonagh netted with a well-placed shot after a jinking run.

Paulton had one effort disallowed as resolute Kidlington hung on for victory.

Kidlington: Warrell, Whitehead, Castle (Gabbidon 75), Brown, Organ, Osborne-Ricketts, Williams, Benjamin (A Odhiambo 77), McDonagh, Martin (Coyle 77), Browne.

Attendance: 148.

Banbury United defender Charlie Wise suffered a broken cheekbone as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Biggleswade Town in the Premier Division.

The injury came in an aerial challenge from the Jack Bowen in the fourth minute, for which the visitors’ player went unpunished.

The Puritans took the lead in the 64th minute when Luke Carnell headed home from the third of a succession of corners.

But the visitors conjured up an equaliser in the 84th minute when Robbie Parker bundled the ball home from close range.

Banbury Utd: Harding, Ngathe,Stonehouse, Self, Wise (Bradbury 5), Carnell, Wright, Finch, Johnson, Ngamvoulou (Sandy 53), Winters (Howards 66). Subs not used: Awadh, Humphreys.

Attendance: 348.

A rapid ten-minute hat-trick by Dan West helped Thame United come from behind to beat hosts Uxbridge 5-1 in the East Division.

The hosts led 1-0 at the interval through Kevin Warner’s 21st-minute effort. But Thame caught fire in the second half.

West scored in the 57th, 61st and 67th minutes, sandwiching a goal from Lynton Goss.

Luke Ricketts completed the turn-around by adding their fifth in the 81st minute.

Thame Utd: Hill, Mepham, Lynn, Essex, McGowan, Ashworth, Tack (A Goss), L Goss, Sturgess, West (Morris), Ricketts (Evans).

Attendance: 66.