Banbury can have no complaints as Ramsbottom were by far the better side throughout the 90 minutes with only an inspired goalkeeping display from Leigh Bedwell preventing a much wider margin to the score-line.
Ramsbottom were soon on top and opened the scoring after five minutes when Jordan Hulme passed through to Dominic Smalley down the right hand side of the penalty area whose deflected cross was then knocked home from just three yards out by Jon Robinson.

Two superb saves from Bedwell then kept Banbury in the game, the first coming in the 10th minute when a low cross from the left wing by Phil Dean found Robinson in plenty of space coming in but the custodian blocked the shot from eight yards. Then in the 18th minute Tom Williams crossed from the right hand edge of the penalty area and Hulme got in first at the six yard line only for Bedwell to come to Banbury’s rescue again with another fine save.

As the half developed the visitors continued to dominate with Banbury offering little going forward.

It was amazing that Ramsbottom did not increase their lead towards the end of the half as they piled the pressure on in what was one-way traffic with Bedwell again showing good goalkeeping to deny them and Banbury somehow surviving a number of scrambles in their own penalty area and a succession of corners.

Remarkably, considering what little they had offered in the first period, Banbury nearly drew level two minutes into the second half. Adeyinka Talabi did exceptionally well to take the ball in from the left wing, beating a couple of defenders, before crossing into the centre but Josh Shams’s volley from 10 yards was well saved by Grant Shenton and though the loose ball was pounced upon by Aidan Hawtin his follow up shot was blocked and the ball then scrambled away.

This was the nearest Banbury came to scoring and if they had scored at this point it might all have turned out differently but the visiting custodian had done his job and from this point on Ramsbottom were in command of the second half.

It was thus no great surprise when Ramsbottom doubled their lead in the 56th minute when Cedric Krou headed home a cross from the left by Williams.

On the hour mark it got more difficult for United as Tom Ryan received a second yellow card and thus was sent off. It was probably all over as a contest at this point but it certainly was two minutes later when Phil Dean fired the ball home past Bedwell to make it 3-0.

Ramsbottom’s Lee Pugh received a straight red card in the 86th minute for a bad challenge on Luke Cray but it was too late to make any difference.

Banbury United: Leigh Bedwell, Luke Cray, Marvin Martin, Declan Hartigan (Joel Meade 62), Tom Fishwick (Carl Tappin 70), Tom Ryan, Aidan Hawtin, Jack Westbrook, Josh Shama (Marcus Green 76), Adeyinka Talabi, Jordan Green. Subs (not used): Leam Howards, Jacob Walcott.

Ramsbottom United: Grant Shenton, Dominic Smalley, Lee Pugh, Gary Stopforth (David Kuba-Kuba 70), Steve Howson, Cedric Krou, Tom Williams (Osebi Abadaki 63), Scott Burton (Malach Slaven 70), Jordan Hulme, Jon Robinson, Phil Dean. Subs (not used): Alex Piacentile, George Grayson.

Attendance: 235