United move up to fourth place and are now six points clear of North Leigh after this win over their Oxfordshire neighbours.

First half goals from Mark Bell and Zac McEachran and a late second half header from Ricky Johnson earned United a deserved 3-1 victory over North Leigh at the Spencer Stadium and moves them up to fourth place in the table, consolidating their position in the play-off places.

Banbury started the game brightly with a 12 yard on target effort from Mark Bell as early as the second minute being deflected away by a defender and then cleared and then five minutes later a Callum White run down the right saw him pass the ball inside to Zac Eachran who crossed to the far post where Ricky Johnson headed the ball back across James Foster in the North Leigh goal, only to see the ball go wide of the far post.

In the 16th minute North Leigh threatened when a good move down the left saw Michael Hopkins play a one-two with Steve Davies, the latter's back heel putting Hopkins through down the left who crossed low from the edge of the penalty area but Sam Elkins coming in at the far post having to stretch to reach the ball put it wide.

The game developed into an equal affair and on the half hour mark a cross from the left by North Leigh's Callum McNish saw Miles Welch-Hayes do very well to head the ball behind for a corner at the far post under pressure from the incoming Sam Elkins.

United would though get the all-important break through in the 32nd minute when Welch-Hayes took a throw in midway inside the visitors' half to Mark Bell who turned sharply and let the ball run before hitting it superbly in his stride from a few yards outside the penalty area on the left over James Foster in the North Leigh goal and into the far corner of the net.

Seven minutes later it was 2-0 when Zac McEachran collected the ball a few yards outside the North Leigh penalty area before going on a excellent forward mazy run, beating two defenders to create the chance and then slotting the ball home past Foster from 12 yards.

In the final minute of the half a Johnson low drive from 25 yards saw Foster scrambling to tip the ball away for a corner low down to his left by the post.

Six minutes into the second half and North Leigh were right back into the game when a cross from the left was headed back across Jack Harding in the Banbury goal six yards out at the far post by Sam Elkins into the opposite top corner of the net.

With the boost of the goal, North Leigh put Banbury under some pressure over the course of the next ten minutes but Banbury worked their way back into the game and on the hour mark they went close to making it 3-1 when Welch-Hayes put Felipe Barcelos, only on the field as a substitute for less than a minute, through on goal down the middle but the United striker's shot was saved by the legs of Foster as he came out and though the loose ball then fell into the path of the forward running Zac McEachran , the custodian did well to get back and tip the follow up shot around the post for a corner.

Then we had the first of two straight red cards in the game. On 70 minutes a very poor challenge by Banbury's Mark Bell on Stuart Hole saw him dismissed and there can be little complaint at the referee's decision.

Though now at a man disadvantage, United would go very close to extending their lead just two minutes later when Zac McEachran ran down the right before noticing the forward running Callum White just inside him who he found with an excellent pass but Foster came out to narrow the angle and deflected White's shot just inches wide of the far post.

But just five minutes after Banbury had been reduced to ten men, North Leigh found themselves in the same position when a poor challenge by Zak Westlake on Callum White saw him dismissed, again there can be few complaints at the decision .

Banbury would have the better of the remainder of the game and they would clinch the victory three minutes from time when a Darius Browne corner from the right was headed home by Ricky Johnson at the near post from four yards out to make it 3-1 and earn United their fifth consecutive league win .

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Callum White, Miles Welch-Hayes (Jon Steedman 83), George Nash, Jack Westbrook, Andy Gunn, Zac McEachran (Darius Browne 65), Ollie Stanbridge, Ricky Johnson, Leam Howards (Felipe Barcelos 59), Mark Bell. Subs (not used): Charlie Wise, Duran Martin.

North Leigh: James Foster, Sam Elkins, Michael Hopkins, Wayne Turk (Jon Else 83), Zak Westlake, Lewis White, Steve Davies (Morgan Williams 80), Stuart Hole, Jamie Cook (George Seacole 80), Callum McNish, Elliott Osborne-Ricketts. Sub (not used): Ben Taylor.

Attendance: 272