In a highly entertaining encounter, Needham Market would probably think themselves very unlucky to have been on the wrong end of a 4-2 score-line; they were certainly the more dominant side for large periods of the game. However, Banbury looked very dangerous up front and made the most of their chances, and their usual defensive duties again came up to the mark to restrict a very lively Needham attack.

United got off to a dream start when they opened the scoring in the 4th minute. Ricky Johnson set Luke Fairlamb free on the left wing, and his far post cross was headed home by Greg Kaziboni, some 10 yards out. After Jack Harding had made a couple of saves from speculative long-range strikes, Banbury increased their lead in the 34th minute. From the halfway line, Jake Walker played the ball across to Fairlamb who laid the ball into the path of Ravin Shamsi. He charged towards goal, leaving the Needham defence in his wake, and as he neared the Marketmen's 'keeper Marcus Garnham, he turned and shot across the visitor's custodian, and just inside the far post.

Three minutes later, from a free-kick, Luke Ingram went close when Harding tipped his place kick over the bar for a typically great save. However, in the 42nd minute he could do nothing about Ingram's next effort when the Needham danger man attacked from the right and powered a fierce shot into the far corner of the net to reduce the arrears. Banbury's answer to this set-back was almost instant when Giorgio was very unlucky to see his shot from the edge of the penalty area, hit the inside of the post, run along the goal-line, and swerve wide of the other post to safety. It was now all end-to-end football, and Banbury should have gone further in front, two minutes into time added-on, when another cross from Fairlamb on the left found Johnson in the middle. He headed forward and Shamsi nipped in to head the ball goalwards, only to see Garnham make an incredible save to tip the ball over the bar from point-blank range.

Nine minutes into the second half, Banbury's quick counter-attacking paid dividends again when Johnson set Shamsi free some 45 yards out. The United danger man beat Garnham from 15 yards to get his second of the game and give United a 3-1 advantage. Still Banbury pushed forward using the counter-attack as a viable method of producing the goods, and it nearly worked again as Fairlamb crossed again from the left, only to see Johnson, at full stretch, fail by inches to get a touch at the near post. However, just two minutes later and Fairlamb himself came forward with the ball and instead of looking to pass, he elected to go all the way on his own and fired in a fierce shot which Garnham could do nothing about as it flashed into the net to put Banbury three up. Understandably, Banbury eased off slightly as substitutions changed the format of play and in the first minute of injury time Needham put a more realistic look to the score line when they pulled a goal back through Craig Parker.

This was the first time Banbury had won successive league games since November.

Banbury United:- Jack Harding, Connor Roberts, Jake Walker, Jack Westbrook, Charles Hawtin, Giorgio Rasulo, Ricky Johnson (76 mins. Lewis Wilson), Claudio Dias, Luke Fairlamb (90 + 2 mins. Ryan MacDonald), Ravin Shamsi (69 mins. Amer Awadh), Greg Kaziboni.
Subs not used: Eddie Odhiambo, Charlie Barnett.

Needham Market:- Marcus Garnham, Jake Dye (64 mins. Finlay Shorten), Callum Sturgess, Noah Collard, Jordao Da Encarnacao Tackey Diogo, Daniel Morphew, Luke Ingram (82 mins. Evan Collard), Gareth Heath (captain), Callum Page, Craig Parker, Adam Mills (75 mins. Jamahl Godward).
Sub not used: Jose Santa De La Paz.

Man of the Match as selected by Match Sponsors Castle Barbers – Luke Fairlamb

Attendance – 270

Photo: Ravi Shamsi scored United's second.