In a very entertaining and competitive encounter, a draw was probably the correct result, although either club could quite easily have won the game. For Banbury, Stourbridge is always a difficult place to get any points but United worked very hard, and the home side soon found out that it was going to be a hard afternoon’s work for them.

After the initial opening play, the first goal chance fell to United in the 14th minute when last ditch tackles foiled both Jaanai Gordon and John Mills efforts in the same attack, following good work by Giorgio Rasulo, and from the resultant clearance, Jack Harding did well to touch a Chay Tilt shot past the post, after Alex Nicholls had put the Stourbridge striker through. However, although the home side were raining in crosses, especially from the left, Banbury’s defence were supreme in the way that they dealt with any threats, and Harding never had another shot to save, and to be fair, this was also the case for the home custodian Charlie Price.

After the half-time break, Banbury surprised the Glassboys by taking the game to them, and they went close in the 47th minute when Gordon put Mills away, and Price did well to block Mills’ first shot, and then reacted well to thwart his follow-up shot to make a good double save. However, United took the lead in spectacular fashion in the 49th minute when Gordon again put Mills away, and this time Price could do nothing to prevent Mills’ fierce shot from crashing into the back of the net. Two minutes later, United should have gone further ahead when Gordon yet again won the ball and put Mills clear, and the Banbury striker let fly from the edge of the box, only to see his brilliant shot come back off the upright into the path of Gordon who, despite being prostrate on the ground despatched it into the net, only to be unluckily given offside.

Stourbridge looked physically shaken at this juncture but to their credit, they worked hard to get back into the game, and they forced United back into long periods of defence, although Banbury still looked very dangerous on the break. They again went close to extending their lead when the ever-dangerous Gordon pushed the ball to Rasulo, but his effort found the side-netting.

Stourbridge were now testing the Banbury defence, as United fought to hold on to all three points, but the Glassboys got their equaliser in the 76th minute when the impressive Alex Nicholls sent over a pin-point ball from the right which found Tilt unmarked on the left, and he let fly with a powerful drive which flew into the net to give them a deserved leveller.

One mention of the referee, this was probably the most competitive game that Banbury had played so far this season, nothing given by either side, and it was so refreshing to see a referee control the game well without the use of one card of any colour. This was obviously helped by both sets of players only interested in playing football, and their respected managers deserve huge credit for a good display of entertainment.

Stourbridge :- Charlie Price, Kristian Green, Jordaan Brown, Thomas Tonks, Jordan Williams (62 mins. Joshua Ezewele), Ashley Carter (captain), David Bellis, Levi Rowley (62 mins. Andre Landell), Aaron Lloyd (77 mins. Kieran Cook), Chay Tilt, Alex Nicholls. Subs (not used) James Wren, Ryan Winwood.

Banbury United :- Jack Harding, Connor Roberts, Kynan Isaac, Jack Westbrook (captain), Charles Hawtin, Giorgio Rasulo, Claudio Dias, Amer Awadh (41 mins. Pablo Haysham), Lee Henderson, John Mills, Jaanai Gordon (62 mins. Mohammed Ahmed, 71 mins. Eddie Odhiambo). Subs (not used) Gedeon Okito, Roger Ngaah Bosio.

Man of the Match, as selected by Puritans Radio – John Mills

Attendance - 1073