It was a rather uneventful first 30 minutes to this game. The only two notable events in this period came firstly on the quarter of an hour mark when a Tom Winters cross from wide on the left saw Craig Bradshaw have to be alert to acrobatically tip the ball over the crossbar and then secondly in the 28th minute a Farnborough free-kick from wide on the right taken by Jack Barton went right across the six yard box with the incoming Kieran Rhule just failing to get a touch to the ball.

Banbury were though by the half hour mark having the better of the game. Ricky Johnson did have the ball in the back of the net at this point but was clearly off-side. Just two minutes later though and United made the breakthrough when a free-kick from the right taken by Tom Winters was headed on by Luke Carnell on the penalty spot to Elliot Sandy who fired the ball home from the edge of the six yard box.

There had been little between the sides in the first half but just 35 seconds into the second half and Banbury were 2-0 up when a cross in from the left by Winters saw Sandy in space at the near post six yards out sweep the ball past Bradshaw.

Farnborough responded well to going two down though and put Banbury under some pressure and got right back into the game pulling a goal back on 57 minutes when a corner from the left taken by Barton found its way through to Josh Bailey on the far side of the penalty area 12 yards out, his fierce low shot was saved by Martin Herdman though the custodian was unable to hold the ball and Jaydon Antwi was on hand to knock the loose ball home from the edge of the six yard box.

On 70 minutes Antwi used his pace to run through from the edge of the Banbury penalty area down the left right to the edge of the six yard box but he was denied a goal by Herdman who did well to come out and spread himself in front of the striker and save the shot with his legs. Two minutes later Paul Stonehouse likewise did well to block a fierce 12 yard shot from Keano Deacon.

But just as it looked as though Farnborough might get something out of the game, Bradshaw violently knocked over Johnson right on the goal line after he had been challenged for the ball from a free-kick pumped into the six yard box by Winters from the left. The custodian duly received a straight red card from the referee. Outfield player CJ Fearn went in goal but had no chance with the Sandy spot-kick as the Banbury man completed his hat-trick.

Sandy was not though finished for the afternoon and in the 89th minute he took a free-kick from the right just a few yards outside the visitor’s penalty area, the ball going across the six yard box without anyone getting a touch into the far corner of the net for his fourth goal of the afternoon.

Banbury United: Martin Herdman, Jordy Ngathe (Charlie Wise 90), Paul Stonehouse, Jack Self, Tom Bradbury, Luke Carnell, Sam Humphreys (Anthony Wright 82), Jack Finch, Ricky Johnson, Elliot Sandy, Tom Winters (Leam Howards 76). Subs (not used): Amer Awadh, Jack Harding.

Farnborough: Craig Bradshaw, Luke King, Lewis Ferrell (Jaydon Antwi 46), CJ Fearn, Josh Bailey (James Spruce 65), Nathaniel Oseni, Kieran Rhule, Jack Barton, Connor Calcutt, Matt Campbell (Matt Jones 46), Keano Deacom. Subs (not used): None.

Attendance: 373