United at last got the result that their attacking flair deserved at the Station Approach ground when they gave Warrington Town a lesson in finishing on Saturday afternoon in the sweltering heat that had been forecasted all week.

They posted their intentions in the fifth minute when Manny Maja slammed the ball into the side netting, but they went one better a few seconds later in the next attack and took the lead. Following great work by Oxford United trainee Aidan Elliott-Wheeler, his cross was blasted home by Ken Charles from the edge of the goal area. Just 10 minutes later, Banbury doubled their lead when Jack Tompkins found Elliott-Wheeler with a cross from the right, and after side-stepping a couple of Town’s defenders, he curled a brilliant right-foot shot around Warrington ‘keeper Dan Atherton, and just inside the post from 10 yards to make the score 2-0.

The Puritans were looking rampant as they tortured the Warrington side. They looked like they were going to run riot in the Oxfordshire heatwave but somehow the Cheshire visitors ‘weathered the storm.’ In the 33rd minute, Banbury were unlucky when Maja crossed for Charles, but his fierce effort found the side netting, and Town managed to keep the score to a manageable 2-0 at the half-time interval. Banbury, though, were still looking the far more likely team to add to the score. Just before the break, Jack Davies had to replace the unlucky Lee Henderson when he was injured yet again.

However, six minutes into the second-half, Banbury got the all-important third goal, and it was certainly worth waiting for. From deep on the left, Davies sent a measured 60 yard pass out to Tompkins, wide on the right and he in turn crossed the ball for Charles to send in a flying header that beat Atherton all-ends-up, from the edge of the six-yard box, for a goal which was worth the entrance fee alone.

With a three-goal cushion, United could afford to take their foot off the gas, but Town also looked a better side in the second half, although it has to be said that their’ keeper was certainly the busier of the two custodians, with Jack Harding enjoying another clean sheet.

Banbury United :- Jack Harding, Jack Tompkins, Tai Fleming, Lawson D’Ath (captain), Ken Charles, Adi Yussuf (66 mins. Tope Obadeyi), Dominic Revan, Emmanuel Maja, Aidan Elliott-Wheeler, Lee Henderson (42 mins. Jack Davies, 71 mins. Craig Hewitt), Louis Hall. Subs (not used) Simeon Maye, Tyrell Hamilton.

Warrington Town :- Dan Atherton, Andy White, Tom Hannigan, Connor Woods, Sean Williams (captain) (87 mins. Deacon Smalley), Arran Pettifer (77 mins. Aaron Bennett), Bohan Dixon, Dyland Motley-Henry, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, Mitch Duggan (80 mins. Matt Grivosti), Peter Clarke. Subs (not used) George Goudle, Dec Walker.

Attendance – 560

Thank you, Barry Worsley, for the review