The first 30 minutes of the game saw Banbury have slightly the better of proceedings but neither side could create clear chances or cause too many concerns to the goalkeepers. An 18th minute corner from the right taken by Tom Winters saw Luke Carnell get his head to the ball first on the edge of the six yard box at the far post but under heavy pressure from visiting defenders he was unable to direct the ball on target. Three minutes later Tom Winters went on a run down the left from inside his own half right to the Stortford goal line but his cross into the centre was deflected away for a corner.

However on 33 minutes Bishop's Stortford would take the lead when Jason Williams collected a short pass from Ryan Richefond 25 yards out and went on a strong run down the right deep into the Banbury penalty area, before striking the ball on the edge of the six yard box from a narrow angle past Jack Harding.

Banbury responded well to going behind and went close to equalising three minutes later when a long ball down the right from Ricky Johnson put Conor McDonagh away but his shot from a very narrow angle close to the goal-line went across the goal just the wrong side of the far post.

However, in the 38th minute United would get a deserved equaliser when a poor pass from Richefond was intercepted by Charlie Hawtin who with quickness of thought immediately put the ball through to Jefferson Louis, the United striker got goal side of Stortford central defender Ricky Spriggs, used his strength to stay there and taking the ball down the right to the edge of the six yard box he showed his experience by competently striking it low past Tyler McCarthy into the far corner of the net.

Banbury went close on a couple of occasions to taking the lead before the break. Firstly McCarthy came out of his goal to head the ball away which fell to Sam Humphreys 30 yards who struck the ball goalwards but the custodian just got back in time to stop the ball entering the net. Then a free-kick from the left by Winters was cleared out to the edge of the Stortford penalty area down the right where it was put back into the middle by Louis with Ricky Johnson heading just wide at the far post.

Bishop’s Stortford could have restored their lead in just the second minute of the second half. A low cross in from the right by George Casey found Williams in space ten yards out but he shot straight at Harding.

Banbury though would have the better of the first fifteen minutes of the half. Just before the hour mark Sam Humphreys slipped the ball through to McDonagh on the edge of the visitor’s penalty area and the Banbury striker did well to make room for a shot and though it went wide this was the start of a good spell for United. A minute later Hawtin intercepted the ball midway inside his own half and went on a run down the right, played a one-two with McDonagh, and continuing his run deep into the Stortford half then crossed low into the centre where the incoming Louis did well to get a shot in under pressure from two defenders on the penalty spot but the ball went just inches wide.

Though, Banbury were looking the more likely to score, Bishops Stortford always looked promising going forward, though there was little to trouble Jack Harding in the Banbury goal.

However, it would be Banbury who would get a deserved and all-important second goal on 70 minutes. Louis collected the ball midway inside the Stortford half before passing down the right to Hawtin who crossed low into the centre where substitute Ravi Shamsi a few yards inside the penalty area 12 yards out flicked the ball up into the air and pulled off a sensational overhead bicycle kick with the ball sailing over McCarthy’s head into the far top corner of the net.

Banbury then relatively comfortably controlled proceedings until the final five minutes when the visitor’s, not surprisingly, pushed forward in numbers in search of an equaliser. Banbury were put under some pressure in this period and there were some anxious moments for the Puritan faithful but the Banbury defence managed to hold out and collect a deserved three points which keeps them on top of the Southern League Premier Division table.

Photo courtesy of Edwin Barson

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Charlie Hawtin, Matt Peake-Pijnen, George Nash, Ricky Johnson, Luke Carnell, Jack Westbrook, Sam Humphreys (Ravi Shamsi 62), Jefferson Louis, Conor McDonagh (Darren Pond 75), Tom Winters (Tom Bradbury 90). Subs (not used): Duran Martin, Damien Robertson.

Bishop's Stortford: Tyler McCarthy, George Casey, Aaron Tumwa, Mark Hughes, Ricky Spriggs, Joe Robinson, Ryan Richefond (Zak Guerfi 68), Jordan Westcott (Joseph Maybanks 78), Jason Williams, Afolabi Akinyemi, Darren Foxley. Subs (not used): Calvin Ekpiteta, Marvel Ekpiteta, Christian Owusu.

Attendance: 453