BEN Mackey grabbed a late equaliser as Brackley Town maintained their unbeaten run in 2010 but they were pushed all the way by a hardworking Didcot Town side at St James Park.
Saints got Saturday's Zamaretto League clash off to a great star when Owen Story headed home an excellent 14th minute far post cross from Mackey but they lost their way after that against a well organised Didcot outfit.
Even so, Mark Rawle, Story
and Mackey all went close with Matt Trott pulling off two crucial saves before Michael Alexis equalised in the 35th minute, getting the final touch after the impressive Mark Draycott forced his way the box.
Trott did well to keep out a low drive from Simon Travis shortly after the restart but Didcot rocked Saints on the hour when the unmarked Phil John glanced a header past Paul Walker after being picked out by Jordan Tabor's searching pass.
Saints struggled to produce any fluent football but they drew level in the 81st minute when Mackey superbly controlled the ball from Story's cross and swivelled to beat Trott form 15 yards. That set up a tense finish as Saints threw everything at Trott, who pulled off two fine saves to keep put Mackey and Green headers in quick succession.
A scramble in the box almost produced a last minute winner but Trott somehow managed to retrieve the ball before it crossed the line.
SAINTS: Walker, Travis, Willmott, Green, Gould, Story, Joyce, Magunda, Winters, Rawle, Mackey. Not used: O Burgess, Kearns, Langdon, C Burgess, Morris
Att: 251
