Banbury welcomed back Giorgio Rasulo after injury, and he certainly made a difference to the team's overall performance against lowly, managerless Alvechurch.

United were quickly off the mark from the opening whistle and should have taken the lead in the 8th minute when John Mills was put in by Claudio Dias but he took an extra touch and Church ‘keeper Joseph Slinn reacted well and whipped the ball off his foot. Two minutes later, it was Alvechurch who went close when Jack Harding's punch fell kindly for Aaron Birch whose effort was deflected wide by Jack Westbrook.

United again went close in the 22nd minute with a left-wing move, Mills feeding Morgan Roberts who was unlucky to see his powerful effort flash the wrong side of the post with Slinn well beaten. Then Mills had a volley deflected over and, later, another effort blocked.

United finally took the lead in the 29th minute when Rasulo collected the ball on the left in the Alvechurch half, cut inside and struck a firm shot from 25 yards which beat Slinn's dive and went in off the post.

In the 36th minute, Alvechurch went close when a point-blank shot from Kyle Perry was saved well by Jack Harding. Then it was Banbury’s turn to rue a wasted chance when Dias shot wide as he rounded off a nice passing move down the right.

In the opening 20 minutes of the second half it was all United as they pressed forward, looking to consolidate their overwhelming possession with another goal, but it was not to be, as the visitors came more into the game. In the 58th minute, Dias again went close, forcing Slinn to punch the ball clear as Alvechurch rode their luck

Then, in the 70th minute and completely against the run of play, Alvechurch equalised. United needlessly gave away a corner on the left, and when the flag-kick came over, Willets headed back across the goal for Perry nod the ball home. As the game entered the last ten minutes, the visitors could have pinched it when firstly an effort by Jordan Goddard in the 82nd minute was brilliantly saved by Harding, and three minutes later, when they did get the ball in the net, Javia Roberts’ touch was ruled offside.

This proved unfortunate for Alvechurch as it was United who got the winner in the 88th minute. From a free-kick, Connor Roberts and Rasulo caught the visitors napping and fed the ball to Gordon on the left corner of the penalty area. He took a touch, stepped inside and struck a low shot into the bottom corner of the net from 17 yards.

Even then Alvechurch were not finished. Thorndike almost grabbed a point in stoppage-time when his low drive curled away from the far post. But United were not to be caught out again and held on for another three points that they deserved on the balance of play.

Banbury United:- Jack Harding, Connor Roberts, Eddie Odhiambo (85 mins. Charles Hawtin), Kynan Isaac, Jack Westbrook (captain), Giorgio Rasulo, Claudio Dias (79 mins. Amer Awadh), Lee Henderson, John Mills, Morgan Roberts (73 mins. Pablo Haysham), Jaanai Gordon.
Subs not used: Craig Fasanmade, Mohammed Ahmed.

Alvechurch:- Joseph Slinn, Linden Dovey, Zac Foster, Aaron Birch (66 mins. Kevin Da Veiga Monteiro), Kyle Morrison, Jamie Willets (captain), Jordan Goddard, Mitchell Botfield (30 mins. Ryan Wollacot), Finley Thorndike, Kieron Miller (52 mins. Javia Roberts), Kyle Perry.
Subs not used: Matthew Sargeant, Fortune Maphosa.

Attendance – 406

Man of the Match as selected by match sponsors L Jarvis & Sons Ltd – Connor Roberts.