Hitchin Town started the better of the two sides though the game was rather uneventful until the 25th minute when the lively Robbie Burns shot from the edge of the Banbury penalty area which brought out a decent save from Leigh Bedwell.

After this Banbury would though have their best spell of the half and put the visitors under some pressure and they got their reward in the 31st minute when a cross from the left by Marvin Martin to the far post saw the incoming Leon Simpson dive full length to head home past Tahj Bell in the Hitchin goal.

It didn't though take the Canaries long to respond as just seven minutes later a 20 yard strike from Burns found the right hand corner of the net.

The second half began fairly evenly but it was Banbury who would get the all important second goal on 52 minutes when Leon Simpson took advantage of some defensive hesitancy before knocking the ball home from 12 yards past a helpless Bell for his second goal of the game.

Just two minutes later Kynan Isaac went on a run from a few yards inside the Hitchin half to the edge of the visitors' penalty area but Bell brought off a good save to deny United's joint top goalscorer.

However, Hitchin now responded well to going behind and began to dominate the play. On 61 minutes Jamal Lowe broke through but Bedwell brought off a point blank save to keep United in front.

United did go close on 63 minutes when a free kick taken from wide on the right by Isaac was pumped into the centre and Wayne Blossom got his head on to it but the ball went just wide of the far post. Despite the Blossom near miss, Hitchin were though having the majority of the play. On 73 minutes a cross from the left by Jamal went to Burns but the Hitchin scorer's effort this time went just wide.

On 77 minutes United were reduced to ten men when Scott Bridges was dismissed with a straight red card for retaliation.

Not surprisingly Hitchin continued to put Banbury under pressure but Banbury defended well and there were not as many scares as one might have expected.

The numbers were evened up on 88 minutes when Lewis Rolfe was shown a second yellow card.

Four minutes into stoppage time, there was a huge scramble inside the Banbury penalty area but with the ball finally being shot wide, it would prove to be the visitor's last chance and thus Banbury picked up the three points and their second home league win on the bounce to move up to sixth place in the table

Scott Bridges' sending off was the third red card received already this season which would suggest Banbuary might be out of the running for this season's fair play award! With Wayne Blossom being sent off on Tuesday, it works out that Bridges and Blossom will miss the same games, as it stands at the moment AFC Totton Away, Hungerford away and Truro at home.

Some match photos here

Banbury United: Leigh Bedwell, Luke Cray, Tanasheh Abrahams, Scott Bridges, Wayne Blossom, John Mbamarah, Kyle Fraser-Allen, Marvin Martin, Leon Simpson, Kynan Isaac, Kyal McNulty (Anderson Pinto 52). Subs (not used): Aaron Morgan, Juliano Menezes, Ashley Dumbleton, Kieren Westwood.

Hitchin Town: Tahj Bell, Lewis Rolfe, Josh Bickerstaff, Sam Barker, Matt Lench, Stuart Pearson, Rogan McGeorge (Dan Webb 90), Callum Donnelly, Michael King (Gary Wharton 67), Robbie Burns, Jamal Lowe. Subs (not used): Nick Burtenshaw, Lucas Kirkpatrick, Sean Morrison.

Attendance: 290