Had they taken their chances though, along with a goal start, they should have easily won the tie. United almost emulated the start that they had in their last game when they carved through the Slough defence in just 20 seconds when Ryan Howell latched on to a left-wing cross from Simeon Williams to force ‘keeper James Warrington into a fine fingertip save for a first minute corner.

In the 12th minute, Slough should have done better when Steve Sinclair was left in acres of space, but he shot wide with just Andy Kemp to beat. Three minutes later, good work from Glenn Walker with a left-wing cross gave Ollie Stanbridge a chance but his far post header went into the side netting.

Banbury took a deserved lead in the 36th minute when Walker again was involved and the ball was crossed from the left for Williams to fire home from the right into the corner of the net. However, against the run of play, Slough equalised in the 44th minute when a cross from the right touchline found Sean Sonner five yards clear and his glanced header from close in gave Kemp no chance of moving. In first-half injury time, Banbury had a golden chance to retake the lead when Howell, with only Warrington to beat, put the ball over the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

They say it is a game of two halves, and this has never been more evident than in this game when Slough took the field for the second-half. It looked as though a tired Banbury side had stayed in the dressing room, and cynics could say that they might as well have done. United paid for their indifference in the 53rd minute when the visitors took the lead, when Sinclair walked through a static defence and beat the stranded Kemp with ease from the right.

It has to be said that the referee had probably had better afternoons, especially missing two separate red-card offences involving the Slough captain Nathan Bowden-Hasse, the first following an incident early in the first half when Williams was fouled in the penalty area, and he proceeded to put the diminutive Banbury wing-back in a head-lock (in full view of his assistant) and the other when Will Green was left on the ground in an off-the-ball incident in the second-half., but one of his more bizarre decisions resulted in a penalty to Slough that even they didn’t understand, but when the 65th minute kick hit the outside of the post, justice was seen to be done.

United found themselves bereft of ideas, as Slough dominated the second-half play, and with Banbury pushing forward in a vain attempt to find an equaliser, Slough made the game safe when they scored again in the 89th minute when substitute Ben Abbey waltzed through a non-existent back line to place the ball past Kemp.

Banbury United: Andy Kemp, Simeon Williams, Ollie Stanbridge (Ben Polk 28), Ben Thackeray, Tommy Kinch, Martin Hutchcox, Sam Youngs (Nick Kingston 58), Ryan Howell, Will Green (Courtney Herbert 58), Aaron Woodley, Glenn Walker. Unused Subs: Danny Edmond, Ady Fuller.

Slough Town: James Warrington, Simon Sweeney, Danny Murphy, Adam Martin (Adam Logie 87), Nathan Bowden-Hasse, David Woozley, Steve Sinclair, Paul Coyne, Danny Burnell (Charlie Mpi 78), Sean Sonner (Ben Abbey 83), Stuart Swift. Unused Subs: Dom Marsala, Shaun Byrne

Attendance: 349