A first half goal from Ricky Johnson and second half strikes from Felipe Barcelos and Darius Browne move United two points clear at top of table

Banbury had the better of the opening exchanges and there were a couple of early promising openings with Ricky Johnson as early as the second minute getting himself into a good position ten yards out though he couldn’t connect properly with his shot and then in the 9th minute Mark Bell shot just wide from the edge of the Totton penalty area.

Just after the quarter of an hour mark though and Banbury would begin to put heavy pressure on the visitors and create some really good chances. In the 18th minute a low cross from Bell inside the Totton penalty area down by the bye-line went through to Felipe Barcelos in a central position eight yards out but the United striker side-footed the ball wide from eight yards out.

Three minutes later a deep cross from wide on the left by Bell saw Johnson at the far post head the ball back across the six yard box to the incoming Barcelos but his header from close range was hacked off the goal line by Marc Diaper.

With chances spurned by United the visitors were very close to taking the lead in the 22nd minute when a corner from the right taken by Michael Gosney went to the far post where Dylan Knight got up above the Banbury defence, only to see his goalbound header superbly tipped over the bar by Jack Harding.

Three minutes later Bell took the ball inside from the left, getting the better of Totton defender Liam Hibberd before his cross/shot from a narrow angle found Ian Oliver attempting to head the ball away from under the goal post and though his header was misdirected sidewards the visitors had the good fortune to see the ball fall conveniently into the arms of the grateful custodian. Then just two minutes further on and an overhead kick from ten yards out by Jack Westbrook was headed off the line by Hibberd.

Banbury continued to pressurise the visitors defence but just as it was looking as though it might remain goalless at the interval, the goal that had looked like it was coming most of the half duly arrived in the 41st minute.

A short corner routine on the left involving Bell and Zac McEachran saw Bell’s shot from a narrow angle fall to Charlie Wise two yards out inside the six yard box who poked the ball goalwards only to be unfortunate to see it hit the post. The ball rebounded back to Bell whose low shot was then saved by the legs of Victor Silvestre in the Totton goal, the ball once more coming back out to Bell who this time put in a low cross which was met by Johnson at the six yard line and though the custodian did well to get his hands to the shot from United’s leading goalscorer it had such force that he couldn’t stop it from entering the back of the net.

Banbury went close to extending their lead six minutes into the second half when a cross from the right by Callum White was headed back across the goalkeeper by Johnson at the far post but Silvestre did well to dive at full stretch to his left to knock the ball away.

United did not have to wait long to double their advantage though as in the 54th minute McEachran on the half way line lifted the ball over the back line of the visitors for Barcelos, timing his run perfectly, to run on to and through on goal the Brazilian in a one-on-one with Silvestre competently slotted the ball home from 12 yards out.

Totton though did respond well to going two goals behind and would have their best spell of the game around the hour mark, creating some good chances.

In the 60th minute a long ball from Gosney put Nathaniel Sherborne through on goal but with just Jack Harding to beat the United goalkeeper came to his team’s rescue by spreading himself and saving the shot from just six yards with his legs. Two minutes later a superb strike rather out of the blue from Nick Watts from wide on the right went narrowly wide of the far post. And just seconds after this Neil Williams ran at the Banbury defence from the half way line before unleashing a great effort from the edge of the penalty area which went just inches over the bar.

In the 72nd minute McEachran went very close when he picked up a loose ball midway inside the Totton half and went on a surging run forward to the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a shot but he was very unfortunate to see his effort come back off the post before it was hacked away for a corner.

In the 74th minute Totton had a glorious chance to score when a cross from wide on the left by Diaper was headed inches wide by Sherborne from just six yards out. However, two minutes later and United would effectively put an end to any doubt about where the three points were going when inter-play in midfield between McEachran and substitute Darius Browne led to the latter opting to shoot from all of 25 yards out, the ball flew like a bullet into the top left hand corner of the net giving Silvestre no chance for what must be a major contender for goal of the season.

The final quarter of an hour of play was comfortable for Banbury and in the 83rd minute they went close to getting a fourth goal when a corner from the right taken by McEachran led to a scramble in the Totton penalty area which ended with Wise firing just over from ten yards.

Banbury United: Jack Harding, Callum White, Michael Hopkins, Ollie Stanbridge (Duran Martin, Charlie Wise, Jack Westbrook, Zac McEachran, George Nash, Ricky Johnson, Felipe Barcelos (Leam Howards 77), Mark Bell (Darius Browne 62). Subs (not used): Jacob Blackstock, Miles Welch-Hayes

AFC Totton: Victor Silvestre, Liam Hibberd (Mitchell Hunt 82), Ian Oliver, Neil Williams, Tony Rolls (Marc Diaper 14), Patrick Wilson, Nick Watts, Jake Burgess, Dylan Knight (Mark Lilley 65), Nathaniel Sherborne, Michael Gosney. Subs (not used): Matthew Brewer, Jack Stuttard

Attendance: 405