For what had been billed Banbury’s most important game for a while, today’s two teams fought out a typical FA Cup tie that all would have been proud of. In a rip-roaring start, United went close early on when, in their third corner in the opening four minutes, St. Albans ‘keeper Magnus Norman managed to tip the ball onto the crossbar in an instinctive save that he knew little about, direct from the flag kick.

In an end-to-end encounter, the visitors then repeated the feat in the ninth minute when they hit the bar, again from a corner. It was all action and United forced another corner in the seventeenth minute which Yaw Ofosu headed wide, but he almost made amends one minute later when he headed just wide of the post from yet another corner.

However, slightly against the run of play, St. Albans took the lead in the twenty second minute when Jasper Mather crossed from the right and found Leo Sery, some eight yard out and he turned and shot home, through a crowded area to put the Saints ahead. Three minutes later, Luke Stokoe beat Norman, but also the far post.

United needed to get back on terms, as he Saints started to look very confident but top-scorer Reece Styche had other ideas and when a lofted cross from the wide right looped over the central defence region Styche looped his header over everyone and into the far corner of the net for a very opportune effort that lit up the proceedings for the home side, and after another fifteen minutes of exciting play, both sides went into the interval break, all square. Six minutes later, a confident Styche went very close when his audacious bicycle kick landed on the top of the net, beating Norman all ways up.

Still Banbury pushed forward and in the first minute of first-half time-added-on, Norman parried an effort from Stokoe and the ball was hacked clear by a defender, a fraction before Josh Flanagan could get a toe from it.

Five minutes after the break, Yaw Ofosu had wicked luck when he went up for yet another corner and his close in header hit the post with Norman just a spectator. Three minutes later Lewis Page managed to clear the ball off the line to prevent an own goal. Then, in the 59th minute, Peter Abimbola went close with a terrific shot from the edge of the box.

The final thirty minutes saw both sides play some good football but realising the pressure of wanting to get in the hat for the first round proper draw, the game headed for the inevitable stalemate, and a replay on Tuesday at Clarence Park.

The football on show this season is special and the Banbury spectators must be very grateful for the performances on show at the Spencer Stadium.

With thanks to Barry Worsley

Banbury United :- Jack Harding, Keegan Bloom, Marcel Guzynski, Aaron McCraedie (79 mins Alex Prosser), Yaw Ofosu (captain), Josh Flanagan, Connor Ferguson (63 mins. Joel Anker), Peter Ambibola, Reece Styche, Luke Stokoe, Jonathan Lawson (79 mins. George Ball) Subs (not used) Nico Jones, Harley Giles, Nathan Whyman.

St. Albans City :- Magnus Norman, Jack James, Lewis Page, Michael Bostwick, Alex Dyer (62 mins. Sam Smart0, James Fyfield (38 mins. Kieran Gauthier), Harrisn Smith, Zane Banton (captain), Troy Perez-Duan, Jasper Mather, Leo Sery. Subs (not used) Alex Wall, James Sweet, Haziz Kone, George Sippetts, Tom Jennings.

Attendance - 1598