In a typical ‘game of two halves’, Chester raced into the lead as early as the 2nd minute. The home side took the ball up the right flank and when the ball was centred by Adam Thomas, Rhys Hughes swept the ball home with ease, giving Ben Taylor no chance whatsoever. Banbury’s case was not helped when Slavi Spasov retired injured in the 23rd minute and was replaced by the returning Jay Williams.

United had to change their set-up and Jak Hickman had to move from the back to partner Jack Stevens up front. Just three minutes later, Chester doubled their lead when a cross from the left found Thomas whose powerful free header again gave Taylor no chance. Banbury were struggling at this moment in time, but in typical fashion they somehow started to compete and get back into the swing of things.

In the 34th minute, a serious injury occurred when Liam Edwards, trying to head the ball clear in the Chester penalty area and collided with the boot of Ben Acquaye, accidentally After falling motionless to the ground, the game was held up for 11 minutes whilst medical attention was administered, and he was stretchered off, looking in a very serious condition, but he was later released from hospital we are pleased to report. In the long period of injury time that followed Banbury were awarded a free-kick for a handball offence but Giorgio Rasulo’s place kick from twenty yards out, just brushed the joint of the crossbar and upright. The Seals went further ahead in the 8th minute of time added on, when Thomas got his second and Chester’s third.

Banbury obviously needed to play better in the second half, to get back from three goals behind and in the third minute of the second-half they were originally awarded a goal when Williams forced the ball over the line following a corner, but after the ball was placed on the centre-spot for the resumption of play, the referee and his assistant, chalked off the goal for a foul on the ‘keeper.

Chester then hit the crossbar in the 50th minute through Harrison Burke, and then Matty Williams repeated the feat with a powerful header five minutes later.

The game had opened up as Banbury still tried to get back into the game as they pushed forward at every opportunity. In the 61st minute Acquaye went up the left and his low cross was hit into his own net by Burke to reduce the arrears. United became more dominant, and just three minutes later, Rasulo sent in a free-kick from the right which Kelvin Langmead headed into the net to pull the deficit down to one goal. United now piled on the pressure and they suddenly looked like the better team, but the home side held firm and in the 89th minute, Kurt Willoughby made the game secure for the home side when he fired a brilliant free-kick round the wall to make the final score 4-2.

Chester :- Harry Tyrer, Alex Brown, Declan Weeks (captain), Kurt Willoughby, Adam Thomas (90 + 1 mins. Darren Stephenson), Kevin Roberts, Matty Williams, Kieran Coates, Charlie Caton, Rhys Hughes (73 mins. Iwan Murray), Liam Edwards (45 mins. Harrison Burke). Subs. (not used) Anthony Dudley, Lewis Earl.

Banbury United :- Ben Taylor, Sam Brown, Kelvin Langmead, Giorgio Rasulo (captain), Jack Stevens (73 mins. Jaanai Gordon), Ben Acquaye, Jak Hickman, Cody Johnson, Ben Radcliffe, Slavi Spasov (23 mins. Jay Williams), Alex Babos. Subs :- (not used) Alfie Talbot, Connor Roberts, Craig Hewitt.

Attendance – 2491