United got off to the worse of starts going behind with just 55 seconds on the clock. A deep cross from the right by Ian Sampson saw Matt Wright get his head to the ball at the far post ahead of Josh Hill in the Banbury goal, the ball then coming back across the goal to the near post where Craig Veal in plenty of space knocked it home from a narrow angle.

United fought back though to equalise ten minutes later when Nic Evangelinos took the ball inside from the left touchline before making an excellent pass through to Shepherd Murombedzi in space in a central position on the edge of the Bideford penalty area. Though Murombedzi's shot was saved by the legs of Lloyd Irish in the Bideford goal, the ball rebounded back out to the ex Reading academy player but before he could shoot again he was adjudged to have been brought down by a combination of Irish and defender Nick Milton for a penalty kick. Jacob Walcott stepped up to competently convert the spot-kick.

Three minutes later and Bideford went close to regaining the lead when a cross from the right by Ian Sampson saw a header at the far post for Wright but the excellent chance went begging as the striker put the ball wide.

Just after the half hour mark Bideford's Sean Downing went on a storming run from half way inside the Banbury half deep into the United penalty area and though he was tackled by Tom Ryan the ball fell to Veal who was then brought down by United debutant James Yeboah for a penalty kick, Former Puritan RIchard Groves converted with ease.

Stoppage time at the end of the first half saw a Jack Westbrook free kick from wide on the right pumped into the Bideford penalty area for Tom Ryan, the ball then falling to Saleem Masri just outside the penalty area but his shot was then deflected just wide for a corner.

Straight from the kick-off for the second half Banbury's Nic Evangelinos picked up the ball on the left and ran inside before shooting powerfully from a narrow angle but the shot was headed away for a corner by Sean Downing. However, despite the promising beginning to the second period for United, within 60 seconds they were 3-1 down. Stephen Reed pumped the ball from the left to the edge of the Banbury penalty area where Sean Downing running through fired a shot from 15 yards and though Hill managed to get a hand to the ball he could not stop it entering the net.

In the 52nd minute a good move from Banbury saw James Yeboah take the ball forward deep into the Bideford half. He passed the ball through to Masri on the edge of the penalty area who in turn knocked it forward to Walcott who with his back to goal all in one motion turned sharply and hit a powerful left foot volley from 12 yards though unfortunately for the Banbury man it went straight at Irish.

Two minutes later and Bideford's Ben Wood coming in from the left got on the end of a cross from wide the right but shot just wide of the far post. Seconds later and United were caught out by a quick throw down the left which put Veal through on goal but with just Hill to beat he lofted the ball wide of the goal.

Bideford should certainly have made the game safe in the 82nd minute when a quick break from a Banbury corner led to a 25 yard shot from Wight and though it was saved by Hill he was unable to hold on to the ball and the rebound fell to Veal but with the goal at his mercy he shot over the bar from six yards. It looked like this miss might be costly because just 30 seconds later and United had reduced the deficit to just one goal. From the goal-kick Walcott nodded the ball on to Evangelinos who passed through to Murombedzi who through on goal had just Irish to beat and did so competently slotting the ball past the custodian from 12 yards.

Having to back into the game, it was thus a little disappointing that Bideford had little trouble playing out the remainder of the time with Irish in their goal being untroubled.

It is now five consecutive league defeats at the start of this season, the first time this has happened in the club's eighty odd years history, United began seasons 1983/4 and 1987/88 with four defeats but in both those seasons broke the sequence in the fifth game.

Banbury United: Josh Hill, Jack Westbrook, Merdy Maki (Anthony Obeng 40), Marvin Martin, James Yeboah, Tom Ryan, Shepherd Murombedzi, Tanasheh Abrahams, Leon Simpson (Jacob Walcott 7), Saleem Masri (Jordan Adekunle 54), Nic Evangelinos. Subs (not used): Marcus Green, Jordan Jackson.

Bideford: Lloyd Irish, Ian Sampson, Stephen Reed, Sean Downing (Lloyd Gardner 76), Nick Milton, Nick Barker, Matty Bye, Richard Groves (Danny Wring 78), Matt Wright, Craig Veal, Ben Wood. Subs (not used): Kevin Squire, Graham Mercieca.

Attendance: 190