Debutant Banbury goalkeeper Leigh Bedwell was brought into action early on as in the sixth minute Jamie Molyneux found himself in on goal down the left but the Swindon loanee made a good save to deny the Redditch man. After this early scare though Banbury began to have much the better of the game and dominate proceedings.

As the half hour approached Banbury had a particularly good spell. A Scott Bridges corner was headed goalwards by Adeyinka Talabi but the custodian scrambled the ball away. On 27 minutes Sam Hornby in the Redditch goal brought out a good save from a long range effort from Kynan Isaac. Pressure was now building on the home defence with two minutes later a shot from Talabi brought out another decent save from the goalkeeper.

The goal that Banbury deserved came in the 37th minute when Tom Ryan, still up field from a Banbury corner, took a quick throw in on the right to Kynan Isaac who took the ball inside to the edge of the penalty area where he struck the ball with venom into the back of the Redditch net giving Hornby no chance.

Banbury’s lead would though last just four minutes as a run down the right ended with Edwin Ahenkorah being brought down inside the penalty area. Harvey Headley sent Bedwell the wrong way from the spot-kick to make it 1-1.

Four minutes into the second half Isaac shot from just outside the penalty area on the right. The ball looked destined for the far top corner but the home custodian did superbly well to get his fingertips to the ball and deflect it onto the post. Redditch also went close five minutes later when Mark Hands effort from the edge of the area went just a yard wide of the Banbury upright.

Banbury would restore their lead just after the hour mark when Ryan was pushed inside the penalty area at a corner kick. Scott Bridges then converted the spot-kick in fine style high to the goalkeeper’s left.

Redditch equalised for the second time on 72 minutes when a cross from Jermaine Hylton was turned in by Headley from a few yards out.

However, Banbury were having none of it and within 60 seconds they were once more back in front when a cross from the left was met with a diving header from Bridges ten yards out, the ball flashing past Hornby into the back of the net.

There were not too many scares in the last quarter of an hour of the game as Banbury came away with a deserved three points.

Some match photos here

Redditch United: Sam Hornby, Omar Recci, Joe Ballinger, Leavi Oshungbure (Alex Price 75), Jordan Anderson, Mark Byrne, Edwin Ahenkorah, Mark Hands, Harvey Headley, Lewis Hayden (Jermaine Hylton 68), Jamie Molyneux (Joel Ambalu 82). Subs (not used): Troy Hands, Passeka Kargbo.

Banbury United: Leigh Bedwell, Luke Cray, John Mbamarah, Scott Bridges, Wayne Blossom, Tom Ryan, Aaron Morgan, Marvin Martin, Adeyinka Talabi (Juliano Menezes 80), Kynan Isaac, Anderson Pinto. Subs (not used): Josh Baines, Tanasheh Abrahams, Kyal McNulty, Manny Soetan.

Attendance: 221