With a number of the United squad suffering with illness, it was a changed team for the trip to fellow Oxfordshire side Didcot Town this afternoon. Ricky Johnson played at centre-back and there was a first Southern League start for Jacob Blackstock who fitted in at full back. The bench included 16 year-old goalkeeper Adam Rimmer and Duran Martin returning from international duty with Antigua and Barbuda.

The first 20 minutes of the game was competitive but there were few opportunities for either side. In the 10th minute Banbury’s Mark Bell shot over the bar from 25 yards before five minutes later Mark Janes for the home side shot well wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Banbury’s first real chance came in the 23rd minute when Felipe Barcelos set up George Nash on the edge of the penalty area but having done well to get there the United midfielder’s shot was blasted well over.

On the half hour mark Didcot went close when a long throw from Andy Ballard on the right was flicked on by Luke Carnell to Adam Learoyd but the former Puritan’s effort which looked bound for the net brought out a superb save from Jack Harding as he tipped the ball away at full stretch low down.

Banbury’s best spell of the first half would come in the last five minutes, threatening to score in a couple of promising moves and then they would duly do so in the final minute of the half when Zac McEachran was brought down inside the penalty area with Ricky Johnson stepping up to convert the spot-kick low to Leigh Bedwell’s right, the ball going into the net off the inside of the post.

Straight from the kick-off an audacious attempt from the half way line saw Jack Harding scuffling back to tip the ball over the bar for a corner. Didcot then went close again in the 57th minute when a corner from the right saw Adam Learoyd’s header at the far post go just over the bar. Two minutes later, with Didcot having a good spell, Janes shot across Harding from a narrow angle on the left, only to see the ball go just wide of the far post.

In the 66th minute Harding came to Banbury’s rescue again as he came out to block a shot from Janes deep inside the penalty area on the right. Just seconds later though and Banbury were close to doubling their lead when a long clearance down the field from Harding saw Barcelos in on goal and with just Bedwell to beat he knocked the ball past the goalkeeper from 12 yards out, but then had the misfortune to see the ball strike the post and come back straight into the arms of the grateful custodian.

It was a nervous last twenty minutes for the United faithful but to be fair Banbury defended well in the latter stages and held on to their 1-0 lead without too many scares to earn the three points that guarantees them at least a play-off place.

Didcot Town: Leigh Bedwell, Kieran Collins, James Organ, Andy Ballard, Luke Carnell, Adam Learoyd, Alex Woodhouse, Marvin Martin, Mark Janes, James Tanner, Lewis Noble (Jack Longford 78). Subs (not used): Harry Beer, Rhys Morgan, Ross Macdonald, Ian Lovegrove.

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Jacob Blackstock, Michael Hopkins, Ollie Stanbridge (Duran Martin 57), Darius Browne (James McCarthy 77), Jack Westbrook, Zac McEachran, George Nash, Ricky Johnson, Felipe Barcelos (Leam Howards 78), Mark Bell. Subs (not used): Richard Platt, Adam Rimmer.

Attendance: 264