United got the best of starts when they went ahead as early as the third minute. Rebecca Howard crossed low into the middle from wide on the right and the ball went through to the incoming Lacey Walton on the far side of the penalty area who fired the ball home into the corner of the net from 15 yards.

United continued to threaten and on 20 minutes it was 2-0. A Zoe Boote corner from the right came back out to her from the centre and she put the ball straight back into the danger area where it fell to Josie Clark who struck the ball into the net from five yards.

Andover New Street though responded well to going 2-0 down and began to have a more equal share of the game and then as the half wore on began to have the better of proceedings. Banbury were asked questions defensively but they proved equal to the task with the defence doing well, despite some strong pressure, to ensure that Nicky Isted in the Banbury goal was not required to make any saves of note prior to the interval.

Just 20 seconds into the second period it looked as though Andover must pull a goal back when second half goalkeeper Amy Bourton’s attempted clearance from the edge of the penalty area struck an Andover New Street forward and ballooned up into the air back towards the goal. It looked a formality for the ball to be knocked into the empty net but somehow the chance was missed and the score remained at 2-0.

Having survived this scare, United worked their way back into the game and had a good spell. On 48 minutes Catherine Howse had a one-on-one with the home goalkeeper but the custodian did well to dive at the feet of United’s leading goalscorer and snuffle out the chance. On 51 minutes a corner from the right by Boote fell to Walton on the far side of the penalty area but her shot from just outside the box went just wide.

From midway through the second half, Andover stepped up their game and put United under a lot of pressure and Banbury had to work immensely hard to deny the eager home team. Again defensively it was heroic stuff from Banbury and with the home forwards failing to hit the target with the few chances that they had, there was no way through.

With Banbury always looking dangerous on the break they would seal the points in the 85th minute when a free-kick from 25 yards out in a central position taken by Boote saw her shot spilled by the home goalkeeper out to the incoming Howard for her first goal for the club.

It was a pleasant winter’s afternoon for football and a pleasure to watch a committed Banbury United side that worked so hard, and played some good football, to return home with the three points that their efforts deserved and which moves them up to second place in the Southern Region Women’s Football League Division One table.

Banbury United: Nicky Isted, Rebecca Howard, Jenny Hoggins, Jenna O’Neil, Sarah Rhind, Lucy Durnin, Zoe Boote, Alex Ayckbourn, Catherine Howse, Josie Clark, Lacey Walton. Subs (all used): Amy Bourton (46 mins), Kath Faulkner (43 mins), Chloe Stallwood (59 mins).
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