A week is a long time in football. After a disappointing display at Halesowen last Saturday the team were unrecognisable in a 6-1 mauling of Barwell. Five of the goals came in a scintillating second half and at the interval you would have got long odds on the final result.

Manager Mike Ford made one change to the starting XI from the Alvechurch game with Amer Awadh coming in for Mark Bell. An early chance fell to Ravi Shamsi but he headed over from close range after Ricky Johnson had set him up with a header. Barwell came close to taking the lead when Davidson-Miller's close range effort was blocked by a combination of Shamsi and keeper Agboola. Shamsi turned provider as Banbury took the lead on 19 minutes. His high left-wing cross was headed back across goal by Johnson and Greg Kaziboni did well to get above the ball and volley home.

Barwell gained the upper hand in midfield but had not created any clear-cut chances until Anthony Dwyer picked up a bouncing ball on the right hand side of the box and spectacularly volleyed in an equaliser on 25 minutes. Barwell remained in the ascendancy until the break.

However the second half proved very different and from the off Banbury took the game to the visitors. Johnson headed a Kaziboni cross too close to Barwell keeper Castle and Kaziboni shot over before the second goal came. A Johnson flick on wasn't dealt with by the Barwell defence to allow Shamsi to run on and shoot over the advancing Castle. Four minutes later it was 3-1. Some good work on the left between Amer Awadh and Matt Taylor saw the latter drive into the penalty area and his solo run ended with a low shot across the keeper into the bottom corner.

Banbury went 4-1 up on 63 minutes with Giorgio Rasulo neatly turning in a low Shamsi cross from the right on the edge of the six-yard box. Six minutes later and it was five. Some neat interplay between Kaziboni, Awadh and Shamsi on the right saw Shamsi put through and his left-foot effort beat the despairing Castle.

Sub Steve Diggin got in on the act on 81 minutes. A high Taylor cross was expertly volleyed home despite the best efforts of Johnson to gain the final touch! The team saw out the remaining minutes and came off to great applause from supporters. It was United's best league win since an 8-1 defeat of Wantage three years and three days ago.

Banbury: 1. Emmanuel Agboola, 3. Matt Taylor, 5. Charlie Wise, 6. Ravi Shamsi (Sub 10. Steve Diggin, 75'), 8. Edmund Hottor (Sub 4. George Nash, 60'), 9. Ricky Johnson, 12. Amer Awadh, 15. Eddie Odhiambo, 16. Greg Kaziboni (Sub 20. Matt Timms 83'), 17. Harry Whitehead, 18. Giorgio Rasulo.
Sub not used: 2. Darius Browne

Barwell: 1. Castle, 2. Percival (Sub 13. Rowe, 60'), 3. Eze, 4. Gascoigne (Sub 14. Cross, 85'), 5. Putman, 6. Julien, 7. Blackmore, 8. Hickey, 9. Tomkinson (Sub 12. Towers, 60'), 10. Davidson-Miller, 11. Dwyer.
Subs not used: 15. Hadland 16. Desrosiers

Attendance – 372