Both sides made a promising opening to the game. As early as the fourth minute a neat passing move by Banbury involving Mark Bell, Zac McEachran and Louis Joyce ended with the latter's shot from the edge of the Marlow penalty area being well blocked by a home defender.

In the 7th minute Kunle Otudeko shot just wide for Marlow from the edge of the Banbury penalty area. Seven minutes later United went close when a Mark Bell corner was headed just wide by Ricky Johnson.

It would however be Banbury who would make the breakthrough in the 20th minute. Jack McLaughlin put McEachran through on goal down the centre and when Simon Grant in the Marlow goal came out to narrow the angle McEachran selflessly passed the ball across to an unmarked Leam Howards who had the easy task of knocking the ball into the unguarded net from just six yards.

The remainder of the first half was though rather uneventful with neither side creating much in the way of chances.

Marlow were better at the start of the second half. On 51 minutes Jack Harding in the Banbury goal did well to tip a 25 yard shot from Chris Ovenden away for a corner.

Then on 62 minutes Marlow's Devontae Romeo was sent off for a second yellow card offence. However, any thought that this would make a huge difference to the pattern of the game were soon dispelled as Marlow refused to let their heads drop and responded well to the man disadvantage, oddly beginning to look more likely to equalise.

Harding again had to be alert in the 70th minute to save a free-kick from just outside the penalty area by Jamal Branker. But just two minutes later Marlow were level when the impressive Ovenden fired the ball home from six yards.

This was now a game that looked as though it could have gone either way but with neither side managing to create clear chances in the remainder of the game it finished 1-1.

Banbury supporters will be very disappointed, understandably so, that after having the benefit of playing against ten men for the last half hour of the game and leading 1-0 at that point that they did not go on to win it. However, over the course of the 90 minutes it was probably a fair result and a point that Marlow deserved.

Marlow: Simon Grant, Jamal Branker, Chris Ovenden, Sam Bangura, Alex Salmon, Adam Richards, Devontae Romeo, Jason Downes (Romone Rose 27), Jordan Brown, Stephen Peacock (Jon Bennett 71), Kunle Otudeko (Corey King 76). Subs: Jordan Chandler, Aaron Couch.

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Callum White, Jon Steedman, Duran Martin, Ricky Johnson, Andrew Gunn, Zac McEachran, Jack McLaughlin (Carl Tappin 84), Louis Joyce (Darius Browne 73), Leam Howards, Mark Bell (Nic Evangelinos 54). Subs: Bradley Cox, Brian Bowles.

Attendance: 130