Ascot dominated the early exchanges, with striker Jon Bennett coming close three times within the opening quarter of an hour.

The hosts’ dominance continued, although their fourth good chance went begging after 27 minutes – again the side-netting was the recipient of a shot from Damian Markman – before Kristian Thomas’s looping header for Kidlington from Lewis Brownhill’s cross sailed high and wide in the second of two half-chances for his side.

Bennett scooped another chance wide before the break but the two sides went in all square.

Kidlington started the second half much brighter, winning a succession of corners, but the introduction of Leon Yarnie for Markman heralded an improvement from the Yellamen.

The replacement frontman received the ball midway inside the Kidlington half, and after ignoring the easy pass to Daryl Mclean on the left, he skipped and bludgeoned his way through before Bennett pounced on the ball to draw a precise left- footed shot under Hyslop.

However, Kidlington forced a 75th minute equaliser when Chris Brakeley’s scuffed cross-shot fell to Curtin, who saw his shot well saved by Grace, only for Thomas to convert the loose ball.

Ascot regained the lead courtesy of Yarnie’s excellent volley on 80 minutes, steering the ball home after Dan Bailey flicked on an Ascot corner.

But the visitors had the last word with virtually the last kick of the match as Castle streaked down the left before drilling a raking shot across Grace into the bottom right hand corner.

Ascot entertain Holyport in the third round of the Bluefin Sport Challenge Cup this coming Saturday (3pm).