Banbury bounced back from their defeat at Halesowen with a much improved performance against Alvechurch. However it took two injury time goals to earn all three points and ensure 2019 started so well.

Manager Mike Ford made a number of changes to Saturday’s starting line up with Ricky Johnson back up front, Harry Whitehead in at centre back and Mark Bell and Edmund Hottor starting with George Nash, Amer Awadh and Steve Diggin on the bench.

Alvechurch had the better of the opening minutes and came closest to scoring when Lee Chilton cut in from the left and hit a powerful shot from outside of the box which came back off the apex of bar and post.

Banbury struggled to get any fluency in their play however they took the lead on 20 minutes. Ricky Johnson took the ball off Ashley Carter as he brought it out of defence with a great sliding tackle and the ball fell kindly for Greg Kaziboni. He advanced into the penalty box and his right foot shot went across keeper Crane into the net.

Alvechurch responded well and Manny Agboola had to act quickly, hacking the ball clear whilst still prone after he had saved an initial shot. However the visitors earned a deserved equaliser on 38 minutes when Banbury failed to deal with a corner and Mitch Botfield was able to poke the ball home from virtually on the goal line. The teams went into the break at 1-1.

Banbury started the second half in more positive fashion. Kaziboni was allowed time to run and shoot and Crane could only parry his effort to Johnson but he couldn’t get a clean connection on it. Ravi Shamsi was gifted possession and his shot was saved by Crane but fell nicely to Giorgio Rasulo near the penalty spot but his shot was blocked.

At the other end a near post header from Kyle Morrison from a corner was saved by Agboola but Botfield had a second chance from the rebound which Agboola did well to smother a close range.

Alvechurch were reduced to 10 men on 61 minutes when referee Cooke adjudged Dave Bellis’s challenge on Kaziboni to be worthy of a straight red.

Banbury were denied by Crane on three occasions in one play following a corner – first saving well from a Johnson header, then saving as the ball ping ponged about the six yard box and finally tipping over Rasulo’s follow up shot.

Alvechurch frustrated Banbury’s attempts to find a winner until injury time. A Shamsi corner from the right was headed out to Rasulo, Crane again saved but the ball to Shamsi and he crashed in a shot past the keeper to give Banbury the lead. There was still time for Banbury to claim a third with Matt Taylor releasing Shamsi down the left. He volleyed a cross first time which was headed home from close range by Steve Diggin to send Puritans’ fans home happy.

Banbury: 1. Emmanuel Agboola 3. Matt Taylor 5. Charlie Wise 6. Ravi Shamsi 8. Edmund Hottor (Sub 4. George Nash, 62’) 9. Ricky Johnson 11. Mark Bell (Sub 13. Amer Awadh, 60’) 15. Eddie Odhiambo (Sub 10. Steve Diggin, 84’) 16. Greg Kaziboni 17. Harry Whitehead 18. Giorgio Rasulo. Subs not used: 2. Darius Browne, 19. Ryan MacDonald

Alvechurch: 1. Daniel Crane 2. Joshua Ezewele 3. Zack Foster 4. Rahis Nabi 5. Kyle Morrison 6. Ashley Carter 7. Dave Bellis 8. Mitch Botfield 9. Aaron Lloyd (Sub 12. Paul Evans, 66’) 10. Josh March (Sub 14. Andre Carvalho-Landell, 74’) 11. Lee Chilton. Subs not used: 13. Thomas Turton 15. Kieran Cook

Attendance – 462

Man of the Match as selected by Match Sponsors Castle Cars – Ravi Shamsi