The crowd of over one thousand must have thought that Banbury were in for some sort of hammering when Jack Harding was forced into a good save in the first two minutes of this match. The Saints did take the lead a few seconds later. Danny Newton shot from the tight across the face of the goal and into the far corner to put Brackley ahead.

After this initial shock, Banbury managed to get themselves together and make a game of it, and whilst the visitors looked more comfortable, thanks to the early goal, United started to exert a bit more pressure. The Brackley ‘keeper had little to do but a shot from Dion Kelly-Evans kept him alert after the Banbury midfielder had been put through by Aidan Elliott-Wheeler in the sixth minute. Recent signing Harley Giles saw his shot blocked in the 20th minute and Ken Charles also went close with a header a minute later, but these were scant reward for Banbury’s increasing pressure and Brackley were still the team to ask the most questions.

As the game wore on and the half-time whistle beckoned, Brackley started to realise that they had a game on their hands. Tai Fleming got a yellow card for acting as a doormat for the Saints’ number five, Alex Gudger, who walked all over him. As the game started up again, it seems that both players were booked, although it was a little difficult to see what Fleming had done wrong.

Ex-Banbury favourite Morgan Roberts was marshalled well by Kelly-Evans in particular. Why it takes so long for blatant time-wasting to be punished is amazing and at long last, Saints’ custodian got a well-earned yellow in the 65th minute, even though he had been treating the crowd to some awful time-wasting since the third minute, and getting away with it. Then in the 71st minute, the Brackley manager Gavin Cowan managed to get two yellow cards in six seconds to earn the inevitable red, for failing to keep his mouth shut. The referee was now issuing yellows like confetti, ten in all, as the game really warmed up.

Banbury were well on top during injury time, but they couldn’t find anyone who could shoot at goal.

Banbury United :- Jack Harding (captain), Jack Davies, Charlie Waller, Tai Fleming, Aidan Elliott-Wheeler (78 mins. Tope Obadeyi), Ken Charles, Craig Hewitt, Adi Yussuf, Dion Kelly-Evans, Harley Giles, Emmanuel Maja. Subs (not used) Simeon Maye, Zach Scott, Othman Othman.

Brackley Town :- Bobby Jones, Riccardo Calder, Shepherd Murombedzi, Alex Gudger, Gareth Dean (captain), Cosmos Matwasa, Alfie Bates, Danny Newton, James Armson, Morgan Roberts, Tyler Lyttle. Subs :- Dom McHale, Dan Turner, Tommy O’Sullivan, Layton Love, Jake Jervis

Attendance – 1086

Thank you to Barry Worsley for this match report