With Andy Gunn suspended, United manager Mike Ford opted to play Ricky Johnson at the back alongside Charlie Wise with Jack Westbrook pushed up into midfield as Ollie Stanbridge was not fully fit. Felipe Barcelos partnered Leam Howards up front.

It was a rather uneventful first 25 minutes. On the quarter of an hour mark there was a scramble in the Tiverton penalty area before the ball was finally hacked clear and in the 21st minute a low cross from the right by Leam Howards went across the six yard box with Felipe Barcelos coming in just failing to manage to get there to knock the ball home.

In the 27th minute Tiverton’s first real opening saw a shot from the edge of the penalty area by Dan Smith well held low down by Jack Harding in the Banbury goal.

In the 35th minute a cross/shot from Mark Bell wide on the left had to be tipped over the bar by Joe Perry in the Tiverton goal at the expense of a corner. Three minutes later Banbury went close again when Bell took the ball inside from the left before playing a one-two with Barcelos and though Bell was tackled before he could get his shot in, the ball ran loose to Zac McEachran but Mike Williams came to Tiverton’s rescue by doing superbly well to block with his body the shot from six yards.

Five minutes into the second half and a George Nash fierce shot from the edge of the Tiverton penalty area saw Joe Perry do well to keep the goal-bound effort out but when the loose ball rebounded out to Mark Bell just inside the penalty area the visiting custodian then further excelled himself by making a superb save low down to his right.

In the 64th minute Perry again came to Tiverton’s rescue when a free kick from Bell from just outside the penalty area wide on the right was put on the six yard line with Charlie Wise getting above the visitor’s defence only for his header to be tipped away by the custodian diving to his right at full stretch custodian.

In the 73rd minute substitute Darius Browne shot just wide from 25 yards and then the same player went close again eight minutes later when his shot from 12 yards from a narrow angle on the left across Perry went just wide of the far post.

Based on the chances and the balance of play this is a game that Banbury should have won and United supporters will be frustrated that they did not do so. But you have to give credit to Tiverton who defended well and with commitment and goalkeeper Joe Perry was outstanding when he needed to be.

United remain second in the table and look certainties for a play-off place but the race for the league positions which will give home advantage in those end of season games is very much all to play for.

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Callum White, Miles Welch-Hayes, George Nash, Jack Westbrook, Charlie Wise, Zac McEachran, Leam Howards (Darius Browne 65), Ricky Johnson, Felipe Barcelos (Jacob Blackstock 84), Mark Bell. Subs (not used): Ollie Stanbridge, James McCarthy, Richard Platt.

Tiverton Town: Joe Perry, Jake Wannel, Mike Williams (Alex Faux 65), Ben Mammola, Steve Kingdon, Tom Gardner, Dan Smith, Mike Landricombe, James Mudge (Jimmy Hinds 65), Levi Landricombe, Ethan Phillips. Subs (not used): James Richards, George Rogers.

Attendance: 441