After an uneventful opening ten minutes, Banbury would take the lead at this point when Ravi Shamsi cut in from the right and unleashed a shot from 20 yards towards the far post which Michael Johnson parried away but only as far as the incoming George Nash who fired the ball into the back of the net from eight yards.

Hitchin went close to equalising in the 23rd minute when a cross from the left by Ben Walster was headed just over the bar at the near post by Lucas Kirkpatrick.

Though Hitchin would have their fair share of the ball from this point, with Banbury defending well there was little to trouble Jack Harding.

Banbury went close to increasing their lead in the 33rd minute when a free-kick by Tom Winters in a central position 25 yards out saw Johnson do well to tip the ball around the post for a corner but Banbury would have to settle for their one goal lead at the break.

Banbury began the second half well but Hitchin worked hard and after Liam Brooks had fired over the bar from the left hand edge of the Banbury penalty area, they began to have slightly the better of proceedings.

However, it would be Banbury who would get that all-important second goal on 62 minutes when a free-kick from the left hand side taken by Winters was only cleared out by Johnson as far as Jefferson Louis on the right just outside the Hitchin penalty area who hit glorious strike with the ball flying into the far top corner of the net and giving the home custodian no chance.

With United now looking for the third goal, they went close in the 67th minute when a Winters shot from the edge of the area was superbly tipped over the bar by Johnson. The third goal to effectively seal the points would arrive just three minutes later when a Winters corner from the right came back to him and he put the ball straight back into the middle where Luke Carnell’s shot from 12 yards took a deflection off a Hitchin defender into the back of the net.

Hitchin Town: Michael Johnson, Kavan Cotter, Ben Walster, Jay Dowie, Dan Webb, James Goode, Danny Clifton (Kieron McCaffrey 50), Lucas Kirkpatrick (Elliot Bailey 60), Liam Brooks, Charlie Smith (Brett Donnelly 74), Trey Charles. Subs (not used): Callum Donnelly, Toby Syme.

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Charlie Hawtin, Matt Peake-Pijnen, George Nash, Ricky Johnson, Luke Carnell, Jack Westbrook, Ravi Shamsi (Sam Humphreys 60), Jefferson Louis (Duran Martin 90), Conor McDonagh (Leam Howards 73), Tom Winters. Subs (not used): Jacob Blackstock, Tom Bradbury.

Attendance: 391