This was a game that Banbury began well. Jack Westbrook fired over the bar from the edge of the penalty area as early as the second minute and Banbury went close in the 10th minute when a cross from the left by Ben Whitehead saw Leam Howards get his head to the ball ahead of Frome defenders at the near post but his effort too went over the bar.

United continued to press and in the 13th minute a right wing corner by Whitehead saw Marvin Martin’s goal-bound header at the far post headed off the line and over the bar by Dylan Bonella. Five minutes later Jacob Walcott neatly flicked the ball over a defender on the right hand edge of the Frome penalty area and turned sharply before volleying the ball wide of the far post.

In the 21st minute Jordan Green collected the ball wide on the left, took the ball inside, evading a couple of tackles before doing well to create room for a shot in a central position on the edge of the penalty area only to see his left footed shot go inches over the bar.

However, against the run of play Frome would take the lead in the 21st minute. Ollie Taylor passed the ball across from the right to Aaron Rodriguez in plenty of space five yards outside the Banbury penalty area on the left who then took the ball forward, cut inside and hit the ball from 12 yards into the top corner of the net giving Leigh Bedwell in the Banbury goal no chance.

Just a minute later and United went close to equalising when, following good work from Walcott and Green, Howards shot just wide from 10 yards.

Five minutes before the interval, Green wriggled his way past two defenders and was through on goal but Ed Baldy in the Frome goal was alert enough to come out and dive at his feet and collect the ball before he could get his shot away.

The 45th minute saw a free-kick by Joel Meade from the half way line pumped into the Frome six yard box and though Westbrook got his head to the ball five yards out he could not direct the ball into the net and it went wide.

Though Frome were fortunate to be in front at the interval, they were much improved at the start of the second half. In just the second minute they came close to doubling their lead as United were grateful to centre half Tom Ryan who kicked a 12 yard shot from Taylor off the line with Bedwell beaten. Five minutes later Frome went close once more when Rodriguez took the ball forward down the left hand side of the penalty area before shooting from a narrow angle, this time it was Meade who came to United’s rescue heading the goal-bound shot off the line.

It got more difficult for United though in the 57th minute when Westbrook was sent off after putting his hand into Matt Smith’s face when both players finished up on the ground following a Banbury corner.

In the 62nd minute a cross from the left by Rodriguez was headed on by Lewis Haldane in the centre to Smith who shot from just six yards out but a last ditch saving block from Ryan deflected the ball over the bar for a corner.

Despite the numerical disadvantage and a goal down, United were not about to give up though and in the 65th minute a free kick from wide on the right taken by Marvin Martin saw Howards get his head to the ball inside a packed six yard box and though his effort was going wide Ricky Hulbert rather surprisingly but clearly handled the ball away. Walcott competently converted the spot-kick to Baldy’s left.

In the 70th minute a free kick from a central position 25 yards out taken by Haldane was well saved low down to his left by Bedwell and though he couldn’t hold the ball the Banbury custodian got up smartly to then deny Mario Mateus’ effort from the rebound and keep United on level terms.

Save of the game though would come in the 82nd minute when a shot from the edge of the Banbury penalty area bound for the bottom corner of the net was superbly tipped away by Bedwell low down to his right for a corner.

Both sides continued to look for a winner but the visitors came close to finding it in the 90th minute when a corner from the left taken by Taylor led to an almighty scramble in the Banbury six yard box but fortunately for United no Frome player could poke the ball home.

First Half Highlights (5:30)

Second Half Highlights (4:15)

Banbury United: Leigh Bedwell, Luke Cray, Marvin Martin, Joel Meade, Carl Tappin, Tom Ryan, Jordan Green, Jack Westbrook, Leam Howards (Umit Eminoglu 81), Jacob Walcott, Ben Whitehead (Duran Martin 63). Subs (not used): Darius Browne, Lewis Strafford, Callum White.

Frome Town: Ed Baldy, Ben Worlock, Dylan Bonella, Rhys Baggridge, Jack Vallis, Ricky Hulbert, Jake Harris (Mario Mateus 53), Matt Smith, Lewis Haldane, Ollie Taylor, Aaron Rodriguez. Subs (not used): Cameron Brown, Jack Twyford, Lewis Pierre.

Attendance: 227