A much changed United side were on duty for this Birmingham Senior Cup First Round tie against Midland League Premier Division side Continental Star played at Rushall Olympic’s ground in Walsall. In fact none of the starting eleven on Saturday against St Neots were involved!

Though Banbury had slightly the better of the first twenty minutes they would find themselves 1-0 down in the 21st minute when some less than impressive defending allowed Denico Johnson to knock the ball into a vacant net from the edge of the penalty area.

This goal boosted Continental Star and they would make it 2-0 in the 31st minute when Johnson scored his second of the game, bustling his way into the penalty area from the left before slotting the ball home from 10 yards.

United though got right back into the game five minutes before half time when Marcus Green went on an excellent run down the left hand side before Leam Howards took over, impressively taking the ball through to the edge of the six yard box before firing the ball into the back of the net.

The second half saw substitutes Leon Simpson, Shepherd Murombedzi and Harry Jervis all on at the start. Though it was a fairly equal game during this half Banbury always looked as though they might find an equaliser with their pace troubling the home side.

In the 74th minute Murombedzi did well to set-up an opportunity for Simpson but the goalkeeper did well to palm his shot from 12 yards from a narrow angle around the post for a corner.

The last fifteen minutes were very open with Banbury pushing for an equaliser and Continental Star looking to take advantage of this on the counter. However, three minutes from time and the equaliser would come when a Murombedzi cross from the left was chested down by Howards into the path of the incoming Jervis who struck the ball low past the home custodian from the edge of the penalty area.

It looked as though United had won the game three minutes into stoppage time when Marcus Green crossed into the centre from wide on the left. The ball went into the penalty area where Leon Simpson caused problems for the defence, the ball seemingly going right through into the far corner of the net without anyone touching it but the referee blew up for a foul on the goalkeeper.

United were the better side in extra time but Continental Star continued to have their moments and it was only a superb point-blank save from Josh Hill in the last minute of the first period of extra-time that enabled Banbury to go into the last fifteen minutes still on level terms.

It looked as though it was going to have to be penalties that would decide this tie but two minutes from the end Howards nicked the ball off a defender as he slipped and then took it around the goalkeeper before planting it into an empty net.

As this is only the second game in the First Round to be played, it will be some time before United find out their Second Round opponents.

Banbury United: Josh Hill, Callum White, Ben Twitchings (Shepherd Murombedzi 46), Carl Tappin, Jack Ross (Harry Jervis 46) Jack Westbrook, Cieran Houston, Declan Hartigan, Leam Howards, Saleem Masri (Leon Simpson 46), Marcus Green. Subs (not used): None.