It was a tight and even opening thirty minutes with few opportunities created. The best moments for Banbury in this period were in the 11th minute when Debbie Andrews passed the ball neatly through to Jenny Hoggins whose shot from 15 yards went just wide and then ten minutes later a 25 yard effort from Debbie Andrews was deflected away for a corner.

Banbury did though step up their game at the half hour mark and have the better of the last fifteen minutes of the half. In the 37th minute a corner from the right taken by Kailey Hardy saw Sarah Rhind-O’Neil head the ball just over the bar from the edge of the six yard box and a minute later a shot from 25 yards by Hoggins went a couple of yards wide of the post.

Banbury were though much improved at the start of the second half and put the home side under strong pressure. A goal for Banbury looked like coming and it duly did so on 56 minutes when a free kick in a central position half way inside the Woodstock half taken by Rhind O’Neil was put deep into the home penalty area with Josie Clark getting on to the end of it to strike the ball past the home custodian from the edge of the six yard box.

Two minutes later and it was 2-0, good work by Andrews on the right saw her pass across to and set-up Emily Parker who showed her goalscoring instincts by striking the ball home from eight yards.

Woodstock though responded well to going two behind by working their way back into the game and commendably putting Banbury under some pressure towards the midway point of the half.

Despite this good spell for the home side, Katie McLean in the Banbury goal didn’t have to pull off any saves of note and in the 76th minute the troublesome duo of Andrews and Parker combined once more to make it 3-0. A good run by Andrews down the right saw her then cross low into the centre where Parker was on hand to bundle the ball home at close range.

Woodstock, now three down, were certainly not going to give up though and deservedly pulled a goal back in the 81st minute through Georgina Tayman.

Banbury nearly had the last word in the scoring stakes when in the final minute a corner from the right by Rachel Dunbar was cleared only as far as Hoggins on the edge of the penalty area who hit the ball sweetly but just over the bar.

Banbury had to work very hard against a good side to win this game but it was an excellent response to the disappointment of last week's home defeat to Buckingham Athletic.

Banbury United: Katie McLean, Rachel Dunbar, Caitlin Timms, Josie Clark, Sarah Rhind-O’Neil, Lynsey Burdock, Chloe Clarkson, Heidi Malcom-Day, Jenny Hoggins, Debbie Andrews, Kailey Hardy. Subs (all used – rolling subs): Kate Bullivant, Jess Andrews, Keeley Hodges, Emily Parker.

The Banbury United Women's side are at home next Sunday at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium to Milton Keynes City Res 2.00pm kick-off