Banbury United progressed to the first round proper of the Isuzu FA Trophy on Saturday with their fourth away Cup game of the season, with a fairly comfortable tie at Thame United. Whilst the squad welcomed back Alex Prosser, Nico Jones and Peter Abimbola from injury on the substitutes bench, they were without James Alabi through illness and Alex Worley who was cup-tied.

Banbury got off to a good start when they took an early lead. Harley Giles sent an eighth minute free-kick into the danger area where Josh Flanagan’s header was deflected to Joel Anker. Anker tried a couple of shots that were blocked but the ball arrived at Yaw Ofosu’s feet and he turned 180 degrees to hammer the ball home from within the six yard box to put the Puritans into the lead. Five minutes later, Connor Ferguson sent a fierce shot just over the crossbar from twenty yards as Banbury looked to extend their lead.

With little to do at the back, Ofosu was busy backing up his forwards and he went close when he forced Thame ‘keeper John Pettitt into dropping the ball but the fortunate custodian was backed up by his over-worked defence and Aaron McCreadie was unlucky when his goal-bound shot was blocked on the line. However, in the twenty fifth minute, Pettitt covered himself in glory when he made a fine full-length save from another McCreadie shot to push the ball around the post for a corner. Most of the sparse crowd were somewhat surprised that the hard working home side had succeeded in keeping the Banbury forwards down to one goal, such was the supremacy of Banbury’s play. As the game wore on, play evened out and Thame became more and more involved in getting back into the game.

Marcel Guzynski had received a yellow card in the first half, so it seemed sensible to substitute him at half-time to guard against another yellow after the break which would have given him a suspension for the FA Cup game next Saturday. This brought the welcome sight of Nico Jones into the game and George Ball was replaced after forty five minutes to help his recovery from a recent injury. With Thame making a replacement on the hour to replace Harry Alexander, Banbury were never in a great deal of danger, though Thame started to look the better side with half an hour to go. With Banbury only a goal in front and therefore always being vulnerable to any break in concentration, the Puritans started to apply themselves again and in the sixty fourth minute Reece Styche went close with a shot from the right which trickled a foot wide with Pettitt well beaten, the all-important second goal arrived in the seventy first minute courtesy of a cross from the right which was collected by Joel Anker who took it inside and fired home from twelve yards on the right, to make things more comfortable for the visitors and put their name into the hat for Monday’s first round draw.

With thanks to Barry Worsley

Thame United :- John Pettitt, Callum Hall, Curtis Brown, Jack Tutton, Luke Tingey, Mark Riddick (captain), Louis Walsh (77 mins. Ethan Lack), Jenson Wright, Gregory Hackett, Daniel West, Harry Alexander (60 mins. Abuzar Khan. Subs. (not used) Lance Williams, Tyrae Njogu, Finlay Murray.

Banbury United :- Jack Harding, Keegan Bloom, Marcel Guzynski (46 mins. Nico Jones), Harley Giles (79 mins. Alex Prosser), Yaw Ofosu (captain), Josh Flanagan, George Ball (46 mins. Connor Ferguson), Aaron McCreadie, Reece Styche (86 mins. Peter Abimbola), Luke Stokoe, Joel Anker (79 mins. Jonathan Lawson)

Attendance - 190