Puritans win Arbor battle

An excellent battling performance against play-off chasers Slough Town earns United the three points

Winning Goal Banbury Win

Slough started the better of the two sides and went close in the 8th minute when a corner from the left by James Dobson was headed just over by Manny Williams.

As the half progressed Slough continued to look the more likely to make the breakthrough but Banbury defended well.

In the 19th minute a corner by Elliot Sandy saw a mass of players up for the ball on the edge of the six yard box, the ball trickling goalwards but not enough pace on it to trouble Jack Turner in the Slough goal who kicked the ball away with his feet.

Four minutes later and Slough went very close to taking the lead when a Dobson free-kick just outside the Banbury penalty area smashed against the crossbar before going over the bar.

On the half hour there was a big appeal for a penalty when Elliot Sandy appeared to be bundled over in the penalty area but the referee was having none of it and waved play on.

Two minutes later and Jack Harding in the Banbury goal did well to hold a shot from Josh Jackman. The last minute of the half and Harding again came to United's rescue when tipping a Dobson free-kick over the bar for a corner.

There was little betweem the sides in the first twenty minutes of the half but on 66 minutes United would go in front when Sandy sent Johnson through on goal down the middle and the United striker finished well, lifting the ball over Jack Turner in the Slough goal.

Slough took a while to recover from conceding but put Banbury under a lot of pressure in the last ten minutes. In the 80th minute a cross from the right by Matt Lench saw the incoming Dobson just inches away from connecting in the centre. Then in the fourth minute of stoppage time Slough managed to bundle the ball over the line but the referee blew for a foul on Harding.

Overall this was a fine battling performance by United to beat play-off chasers Slough, particularly defending well when it was needed.

Source Banbury United FC