Injury meant Charlie Hawtin did not travel with Harry Whitehead coming in at Right Back. Manager Mike Ford opted to play with John Mills and Steve Diggin up front.

It was Banbury’s first league game in Suffolk since games against Bury in the 70s and the wind and rain whipped in from the North Sea over the flat Turner-esque landscape that meant a well below par gate of 221 for the home team despite the 30 or so who had travelled from Banbury.

Banbury started brightly and Diggin shot over after a good move around the area. However on their first attack, the home team took the lead on five minutes, no consolation for director Paul Duester who drew that in the golden goal. Joe Marsden cut in from the right and his shot from well outside the area arrowed into Manny Agboola’s top right hand corner.

Banbury responded positively and linked up well around the box, which saw half chances for both Diggin and Mills and it was the former who grabbed the equaliser on 21 minutes. Good build up play saw Taylor released on the left, his cross wasn’t dealt with to allow Diggin to lash the ball home from close range.

However ten minutes later and Needham Market were in front again, Adam Mills put through the left hand channel shooting across Agboola for their second.

It looked like Banbury would go in behind at the break but Diggin scored his second with the last kick of the half. Greg Kaziboni under pressure on the right managed a high looping cross which, with great technique, Diggin met on the volley from eight and his shot had too much power for the keeper.

The second half began with George Nash replacing Eddie Odihambo soon followed by Ravi Shami on for Diggin who picked up a knock when scoring his first.

Shami had a hand in Banbury’s third which saw them take the lead on 53 minutes. He cut in from the right and saw a shot blocked but retained possession and laid the ball off to Kaziboni who scored from a central position at the top of the area.

However Banbury were unable to hold on to their lead and conceded an equaliser on 63 minutes in frustrating fashion, a long goal kick, flicked on and Reece Dobson able to run on and score.

The home team pressed Banbury and there were some anxious moments in the box but final shots went wide or were well defended. Banbury too had chances with Rasulo and Taylor both seeing shots blocked in quick succession.

Banbury: 1. Emmanuel Agboola 3. Matt Taylor 5. Charlie Wise 8. Edmund Hottor 9. Ricky Johnson (C) 10. Steve Diggin (Sub 6. Ravi Shamsi 50’) 13. John Mills (Sub, 13. Amer Awadh ’74) 15. Eddie Odhiambo (Sub 4. George Nash¬ ’46) 16. Greg Kaziboni 17. Harry Whitehead 18. Giorgio Rasulo. Subs not used: 11. Mark Bell, 20.Jamie Heapy.

Needham Market: 1. Jake Jessup 2. Jake Dye 3. Calum Sturgess (Sub Luke Ingram 30’) 4. Sam Squire 5. Kieran Moprhew 6. Daniel Morphew 7. Joe Marsden 8. Gareth Heath (C) 9. James Baker 10. Reece Dobson 11.Adam Mills. Subs not used: 12 Jeremiah Kamanzi 13. Tariq Issa 15. Even Collard 16. Finaly Shorten.

Attendance - 221