Bideford began the better of the two sides, their first chance came in the 13th minute when Ian Sampson shot just wide of the left hand post from the edge of the penalty area.

There was a similar effort from Steven Reed on 22 minutes which also went just wide and then three minutes later the home side were most unlucky when Ashley Yeoman's shot from 25 yards smashed against the left hand post before coming out.

Though Bideford had looked the more likely to score, it would be Banbury who would take the lead in the 31st minute. Leon Simpson fed Kynan Isaac down the left and he brought the ball inside before being brought down inside the penalty area. Dominic Lawless converted the spot-kick low into the corner of the net to the goalkeepers left.

Banbury boosted by the goal now began to dominate and on 39 minutes they were awarded, following a foul on Skendi, a free-kick in a central position 25 yards out. Isaac hit the ball over the wall into the top left hand corner of the net to make it 2-0.

Bideford were much improved after the break and began to press forward and have much the better of the game.

On 54 minutes Sean Downing blasted over from the edge of the area as Bideford kept up the pressure. Though the home side were dominant United defended well and kept Bideford out until the pressure finally told on 83 minutes when a free-kick from wide on the right was glanced into the net off the far post by Ethan Phillips.

Two minutes later it got more difficult for Banbury when Leon Simpson challenged the home goalkeeper as the custodian came out of his area to clear the ball. Simpson harshly received a second yellow card and thus Banbury had to play the final five minutes a man short.

Bideford equalised in the 87th minute a cross from the right eventually falling to Phillips who fired the ball home from eight yards.

With the referee playing seven minutes of stoppage time, it was a tense finale for United supporters but they held out under the late pressure to earn a point.

Bideford: Steve Oliver, Steve Orchard, Sean Downing, Nick Milton, Ben Gerring (Ethan Phillips 80), Matt Hockley (Richard Groves 69), Matty Bye, Owen Howe (Kevin Squire 64), Ashley Yeoman, Ian Sampson. Sub (not used): James Mayne.

Banbury United: Leigh Bedwell, Luke Cray, John Mbamarah, Kynan Isaac, Wayne Blossom, Tom Ryan, Dominic Lawless (Tanasheh Abrahams 77) , Marvin Martin (Scott Bridges 77), Albi Skendi, Leon Simpson, Adeyinka Talabi. Subs (not used): Kyal McNulty, Anderson Pinto, Aaron Morgan.

Attendance: 158