United began the game well. As early as the sixth minute Leam Howards shot from 12 yards forcing Steve Mowthorpe into a decent save with his feet. However, Banbury did not have to wait long for their early dominance to be converted into a lead as just two minutes later a long ball down the centre from Darius Browne0 put Ricky Johnson through on goal and with just the goalkeeper to beat the United striker competently slotted the ball home from 12 yards.

Banbury continued to dominate and looked especially dangerous whenever they went forward and it was no surprise when they made it 2-0 in the 18th minute, Duran Martin taking the ball forward from midfield before picking out Howards with a pass and he struck the ball past the custodian from ten yards.

It was close to being 3-0 in the 23rd minute when a Zac McEachran free kick from the left was put into the Totton penalty area with Johnson’s header from eight yards smashing against the crossbar.

The rest of the first half was less eventful but United were not troubled unduly and it remained 2-0 at the interval.

United had a scare six minutes into the second half when Jake Rawkins whipped in a cross from the left and Nathaniel Sherborne coming in at the far post looked as though he might get onto the scoresheet but stretching he put the ball wide.

However, within 60 seconds it was effectively over as a contest when a Howards cross from the left found an unmarked Johnson in the centre whose bullet header flew into the top corner of the net to make it 3-0.

In the 57th minute a thunderous 15 yard shot from Browne hit the bar as United continued to dominate proceedings. Two minutes later Taylor Edwards should have pulled a goal back for Totton but having done the hard work to create the chance he shot weakly at Jack Harding from 15 yards.

On 65 minutes McEachran put Louis Joyce through on goal but his shot from a narrow angle on the right was palmed away by Mowthorpe. Then a quarter of an hour from time some excellent build up play involving Browne and McEachran set up another excellent chance for Joyce but he shot well over the bar from 12 yards.

United would make it 4-0 three minutes from time when a McEachran corner from the left saw Johnson head the ball home from the edge of the six yard box to complete his second hat-trick in the space of three weeks.

This was a very impressive performance from a United side missing the injured or ill Callum White, Jack Westbrook and Mark Bell, playing some very good football and never looking in danger of not picking up the win after taking the lead early in the game.

AFC Totton: Steve Mowthorpe, Luke Dempsey, Liam Hibberd, Neil Williams, James Roden (Tony Rolls 76), Jack Simpson, Nick Watts (Jake Burgess 72), Dave Allen, Taylor Edwards (Matthew Brewer 76), Nathaniel Sherborne, Jake Rawkins. Subs (not used): Charlie Wagstaffe, Mark Lilley.

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Leam Howards (Louis Joyce 63), Jon Steedman, Duran Martin, Charlie Wise, Andy Gunn, Ollie Stanbridge, George Nash, Ricky Johnson (Daniel Garceran Moreno 87), Zac McEachran, Darius Browne (Jacob Blackstock 85). Sub (not used): Nicholas Kalakoutis.

Attendance: 300