Banbury United can’t stop adding to various records as they maintained their sixteen point advantage at the top of the Southern League Premier Central Division with their ninth consecutive League win, their fourth consecutive 2-0 score-line and their fifth consecutive clean sheet, against a very lively Rushden team, who were also in a good vein of form. What was even more impressive about this United performance was that regular right back Connor Roberts and central defender Kelvin Langmead were both out injured, but their replacements, Harry Reilly and new signing James Golding played as if they had been there all season.

The game started with both sides looking to make the early break, but both defences were good at what they were doing, and chances were well dealt with in an end-to-end encounter that served up some great football for the thousand-plus crowd to enjoy.

Familiarity was rife amongst the players with no fewer than eleven players on show who had played for both teams, and this added to the spice in a game that could have swung either way. In the opening ten minutes Morgan Roberts for United and Adriel George for Rushden both went close, and shortly afterwards, Chris Wreh managed to get a good save out of Dean Snedker, but the visitors should have taken the lead in the 24th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Jay Williams brought down George in the box. Nathan Tshikuna took the spot-kick and although Jack Harding guessed the right way, he couldn’t reach the ball as it flashed wide of the post. Four minutes later, it was Banbury who had hard luck when a Roberts effort from the edge of the box, deflected off a defender and hit the crossbar with Snedker well beaten. Wreh then went close for Banbury with a rasping shot in the 32nd minute, and in the 40th minute, Lewis Johnson went on a mazy run down the right and sent a beautiful cross into the middle where Ben Acquaye’s header went just too high.

Four minutes into the second-half, Banbury at last took the lead when a Giorgio Rasulo free kick on the right was sent to the far post where Wreh rose to head down into the empty net to put Banbury in control. The game then swung from one end to the other with Banbury’s defence managing to block every effort that was thrown at them, and at the other end Snedker did well, making many good saves and his handling frustrated Banbury as they had the better of the chances.

Banbury finally made the game safe, three minutes from the end when a Roberts corner from the right was met by Liam Dolman who inexplicably headed powerfully into his own net to give United the 2-0 advantage. In the final minutes of injury-time the Rushden heads had dropped and Banbury had two good chances to increase the score when Aidan hit a fantastic shot from 25 yards out, just in from the right touchline which moved all over the place in the air, and Snedker did very well to make a great save, and then Wreh hit the post with a fierce effort from the edge of the penalty area.

Banbury United :- Jack Harding, Sam Brown, Jay Williams, Giorgio Rasulo (captain), Chris Wreh, Morgan Roberts, Ben Acquaye, Lewis Johnson (69 mins. Jack Finch), James Golding, Harry Reilly (80 mins. Aidan Hawtin), Alex Babos. Subs (not used) Ben Taylor, Jediael Abbey, Victor Sodeinde.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds :- Dean Snedker, Patrick Casey, Sam Warburton, Fernando Bell-Toxtle, Liam Dolman, Alex Collard (captain), Nathan Tshikuna, JKesse Akubulne (80 mins. Matthew Slinn), Ty Deacon, Adriel George (75 mins. Willian Jones), Connor Fielding (70 mins, Ravin Shamsi)

Attendance - 1055

(Photo courtesy of Hawkins Images)