Bulls too strong for Puritans

After a quiet opening ten minutes Hereford began to get on top with a succession of corners and in the 12th minute a corner from the right was only cleared out as far as Jamie Bird who let fly with an excellent shot into the bottom corner of the net to put the home side ahead.

Banbury's most promising move of the half came in the 23rd minute when a low cross from the right by Jack Self was picked up by Ricky Johnson on the edge of the penalty area who turned sharply and did well to make room for a shot bringing out a save from Martin Horsell in the Hereford goal.

Just two minutes later though Hereford went close to extending their lead when a shot from Bird from 25 yards was headed away by LukeCarnell a couple of yards in front of the goal line.

In the 36th minute a Pablo Heysham shot from the edge of the penalty area down the left went just wide of the far post as Hereford looked for a second goal.

Banbury offered little going forward in the first 20 minutes of the second half and it was comfortable for Hereford.

The home side did have to wait until the 67th minute to get the second goal, which always looked likely, and it came from the penalty spot after substitute Jordy Ngathe had brought down a Hereford player inside the penalty area, with John Mills converting the spot-kick with aplomb into the top corner of the net.

The result had never looked in much doubt since half time but it certainly was put beyond any in the 77th minute when Keyon Reffell hit a superb strike from the edge of the Banbury penalty area down the right across Jack Harding into the far corner of the net.

Six minutes from time Jack Self shot a few feet over the bar from 20 yards but it was too little too late and it was a comfortable afternoon for the Championship chasing home side and a rather disappointing afternoon for Banbury, albeit of course Hereford are a very good side and showed it.

Source Banbury United FC