Though Banbury began the game with a fair share of the possession, it was always the home side that looked the likelier to score with Banbury unable to carve out openings. City should have opened their account from the penalty spot after 21 minutes but Andy Kemp in the Banbury goal pulled off an excellent save from Joey Abbs low down to his left, his third penalty save in consecutive games.

However, this would prove to be a temporary reprieve for United as just five minutes later Danny Kelly struck a free kick, from just outside the penalty area, straight into the top left hand corner of Kemp’s net. The crucial second goal came on the stroke of half time when an initial effort from Kelly was well saved by Kemp but the City player followed up to score at the second attempt.

Banbury at least made an effort to make a game of it at the start of the second half and for the first time posed a few questions for the City defence. However, the back line of City had all the answers, thus making it an easy afternoon for the home goalkeeper and the home side were soon controlling the game again, looking the more likely to add to their score than Banbury did to pull one back and so it proved on 71 minutes when Kelly completed his hat-trick.

The “bad day at the office” got even worse for Banbury in the last fifteen minutes as both Stefan Bailey and then Simeon Williams were sent off for second bookable offences, thus Banbury finished the game with 9 men. Both players will receive automatic one match bans and will miss the Weymouth home game in two weeks time.

This convincing win for Cambridge moves them up to fourth in the table and as a wag behind the goal said, they also have the added bonus of avoiding the expense of cleaning goalkeeper Zac Barrett’s jersey!

Cambridge City: Zac Barrett, Liam Nicell, Lee Chaffey, Dave Theobald, Alex Lacey, Adrian Cambridge, Craig Bussens, Joey Abbs, Danny Kelly (George Darling 82), Lee Clift (Jonathan O’Donnell 66), Jamie Gould. Unused Subs: Tony Burke.

Banbury United: Andy Kemp, Simeon Williams, Tommy Kinch, Stefan Bailey, Cole Hinchliffe, Martin Hutchcox, Sam Youngs (Ben Polk 78), Joe Coleman, Will Green (Courtney Herbert 46), Aaron Woodley, Nick Kingston (Danny Edmond 71). Unused Sub: Ady Fuller.

Attendance: 310