BANBURY UNITED 0 BRACKLEY TOWN 3

Brackley completed the double over Banbury with this victory on Bank Holiday Monday, and whilst the score-line flattered them somewhat, the Saints were certainly worth the three points.

United were without the injured David Stone, but Nabil Shariff was an able deputy and he went close early on with a header into the side netting, following a left-wing cross from Marvin Martin.

However, it was Town who took the lead in the 23rd minute when a cross from Drew Roberts caused Jason Taylor to rocket a header past his own ‘keeper and into the net, whilst under severe pressure from Brett Solkhon.

Banbury had hard luck in the 30th minute when a Jack Ashton corner from the right was deflected off a defender’s head at the near post onto the underside of the crossbar before being gratefully cleared. United continued their efforts to get back on terms, and in the 32nd minute they again went close when Adam Learoyd beat Brackley custodian Richard Morris to a Martin free-kick from the left, and the ball went over the ‘keeper’s head but went a foot wide of the unguarded post.

The obvious instructions fed to the Brackley players at half-time was to go all out for another goal, and two minutes after the break, the Saints got it when Tom Winters did well to see off the challenge of Joe Coleman, and he fired a powerful shot past Joe Murrell from the edge of the box to double Brackley’s lead.

Banbury’s heads dropped for a few minutes, and they were lucky that they didn’t go further behind when Carl Palmer and Solkhon both missed chances, and Murrell did well to save efforts from Winters, Owen Story and Palmer, before United got their composure back. It was then Morris’s turn to save the day when he tipped over a ferocious 30 yard shot from Declan Benjamin in the 57th minute, and also Chris Willmott blocked an effort from Learoyd, who also headed another chance over the bar.

However, in the 74th minute Ben Mackey made the game safe for Town when he scored a fantastic goal from a narrow angle, hooking in a fierce shot into the top corner of the net. Six minutes later, Coleman brushed the crossbar with a hopeful cross-shot, but the game was already over by then.

Team :- Murrell, Redknap, Ashton, Staff (65 mins. Hilliard), Learoyd, Haisley, Coleman, Benjamin, Shariff, Taylor, Martin. Subs. (not used) Stanbridge, Milner, Foster, Scott.

Attendance – 628