United were kicking against a very strong wind in the first half and not surprisingly Evesham had the better of the early stages. In the fifth minute a free kick from Nick Stanley 30 yards out, with the wind behind him, went just over the bar.

However, despite playing against the elements Banbury soon adapted and the game developed into an even affair. An early promising move came in the 12th minute when a Callum White cross from the right was headed over the bar by Ricky Johnson.

Evesham though went close in the 17th minute when a cross from the right by Clayton Green was bundled goalward in the centre by Adam Mann but Charlie Wise was on hand to kick the ball away just a yard off the goal line.

There was a chance for Banbury in the 23rd minute when Zac McEachran put George Nash through on goal down the right but his shot from the edge of the penalty area was saved by the legs of Evesham goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer as he came out to narrow the angle.

Three minutes later a cross from the left by Darius Browne went through to Johnson at the far post but United's leading goalscorer failed to connect properly.

Evesham were having the better of the last quarter of an hour of the half and putting Banbury under some pressure. On 37 minutes a shot by Mann from 15 yards was deflected just over the bar for a corner. Then in the 45th minute Linden Dovey crossed low from the right bye-line, only to see the ball go right across the Banbury six yard box without any Evesham player able to get a touch on it.

However, a minute into stoppage time and a poor clearance out of defence by Evesham saw Banbury then neatly work the ball down the right hand side to deep inside the home penalty area ending with White firing the ball across the custodian from a narrow angle, the ball finding its way into the back of the net just before the incoming Ricky Johnson could get a touch in the centre.

It was an excellent first half for United, particularly with the elements against them, and overall a lead that they deserved.

Just a minute into the second half and Sawyer showed his quality by denying McEachran at his near post with a good save as the United man let fly from a narrow angle from 10 yards.

However, United would go 2-0 up in the 52nd minute when Browne played a one-two with McEachran down the left before crossing low into the centre where Johnson had the relatively easy task of slotting the ball home from close range.

Five minutes later and game might have been over as a contest when McEachran's shot from the edge of the penalty area took a slight deflection and looked bound for the bottom corner of the net but Sawyer produced a superb save low down to this left to keep the home side in the game.

On 70 minutes there was another glorious chance for United to virtually ensure the three points would be coming back to Oxfordshire when a quick break from an Evesham attack saw George Nash through on goal with just Sawyer to beat but again the custodian came to the home side's rescue with another good save.

Just three minutes later though and Evesham were right back in the game when the ball fell to substitute Jared Wilson 15 yards out inside the penalty area down the left and he hit a superb drive across the goal with the ball hitting the inside of the far post before nestling into the back of the net.

Only three minutes after conceding, United would be denied by the woodwork when substitute Mark Bell took the ball down the left and along the bye-line before crossing low into the centre where it hit a defender at the near post, the ball then coming back off the post before being cleared.

The goal was though a huge boost for Evesham and they began to push forward in the last fifteen minutes looking for the equaliser. The game thus became very open and on 80 minutes with Evesham stretched at the back Ricky Johnson was put through on goal with just Sawyer to beat but it was one of those situations where he seemed to have too much time to make up his mind what to do and the excellent chance went begging.

However, with five minutes to go Evesham equalised when a cross came in from the left and Harding came for the ball but only succeeded in palming it out as far as Lance Smith who knocked the ball home from around eight yards out.

There was one more chance for United to have won the game when in the first minute of stoppage time McEachran set the ball up for Bell on the edge of the Evesham penalty area but he shot well over the bar.

This was a game that Banbury should have won and though acknowledging that Evesham were never going to give up, and the excellent performance from goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer, if chances had been taken in the second half as they should have been, the game would have been well over as a contest long before Evesham began their come-back.

Finally, despite the windy conditions which can often ruin a game, both sides put up a good show in what was a very entertaining game, certainly for any neutrals.

Evesham United: Kevin Sawyer, Linden Dovey, Nick Stanley, Clayton Green (Sean Wood 54), Matt Sysum, Will Wellon, Nathan Modest (Jacob Sloggett 65), Carl Brown (Jared Wilson 65), Adam Mann, Lance Smith, Lewis Binns. Sub (not used): Liam Harding.

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Miles Welch-Hayes, Jon Steedman, Ollie Stanbridge (Jack Westbrook 72), Charlie Wise, Andy Gunn, Callum White, George Nash, Ricky Johnson, Zac McEachran, Darius Browne (Mark Bell 53). Subs (not used): Duran Martin, Nicholas Kalakoutis, Jacob Blackstock.

Attendance: 331