After a couple of great performances and results, Banbury were brought down to earth at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium on Saturday by a Kettering side who, despite being at the wrong end of the table, were certainly one of the better sides to play the Puritans this season. From the first whistle, the speed and direct play from the Poppies made United look somewhat second-best, and Banbury were pinned in their own half for long periods as they struggled to come to terms with missing their three most consistent performers, Connor Roberts, Giorgio Rasulo and Josh Smile, but even if that trio had been playing, Kettering on this form would have still have been hard to match.

Although Banbury had plenty of possession in the first half very few chances were evident for either side with neither goalkeeper having much to do. Banbury’s best opportunity fell in the 40th minute when Ben Acquaye and the overlapping Sam Brown set Alex Babos free in the penalty area but Jack Stevens just failed to connect to his cross, and the chance was gone. It was of little surprise that the interval arrived with a goal-less score-line.

Jaanai Gordon went on a good run to open the second-half but he mis-hit his shot. Soon after both Ben Acquaye and Jack Stevens were denied at close range but play then settled down for Kettering to take control. The half continued with Kettering to the fore, and United were finding The Poppies’ Ellis Myles a handful, and the visitors were now pushing for the opening goal, going close with four attempts in the first twenty minutes after the break. In the 70th minute a Banbury attack up the right broke down and the Poppies set substitute Sam Bennett away down the left, and he put Town a goal in front with a great individual effort after he cut inside.

Banbury pressed for an equaliser and came close when first a close range Henry Landers effort from a tight angle came off the bar and Jay Williams follow up header passed tantalisingly across the face of the goal but in the 83rd minute Kettering doubled the score. Decarrey Sheriff went forward and laid the ball to Ethan Hill, just a minute after he had come on, and he poked the ball home for his first goal for the club. Then, in the second minute of time-added-on, Frankie Maguire made the score a comprehensive 0-3.

Banbury United ;- Jack Harding, Sam Brown (Capt) (65 mins. Henry Landers), Kelvin Langmead, Jay Williams, Jaanai Gordon, Jack Stevens, Ben Acquaye, Cody Johnson, Ben Radcliffe, James Golding, Alex Babos (84 mins. Keane Barugh. Subs(not used) Jak Hickman, Craig Hewitt, Callum Reilly

Kettering Town :- Harrison Foulkes, Frankie Maguire, Lewis White, Brad Gascoigne, Gary Stohrer, Keaton Ward ((82 mins. Ethan Hill), Rhys Sharpe, Ellis Myles, George Forsyth, Decarrey Sheriff, Tyrone Lewthwaite (46 mins. Sam Bennett. Subs (not used) Josh Flanagan, Frank Cooper, Harry Hogg.

Attendance - 828