Sittingbourne 1, Banbury Utd 0

BANBURY'S return to Southern (Dr Martens) League football after ten years got off to the worst possible start on Saturday when two motorway accidents turned a 2T-hour journey into one of 4T hours, delaying the kick-off by 50 minutes.

The home side took the lead in the 29th minute following a cross from the left which was headed powerfully into the top corner of the net by full back Tom Binks.

The unlucky Frankie Dorrian was almost immediately sacrificed in a tactical substitution which saw the introduction of former Oxford United defender Anton Rogan, and Banbury started to look a more stable team. The visitors should have gone further behind in the 32nd minute when George Redknap gave away a penalty with a needless challenge, but Corrie Griffin put his spot-kick over the bar.

Banbury came out for the second half in a completely different mood, and seemed to show a lot more belief in themselves.

Within two minutes, Steve Jenkins touched the ball on for Matty Gooderick whose angled shot beat keeper James Creed but also went just wide of the far post.

The only other half-chance of the game fell to Sittingbourne when United were pushing forward looking for an equaliser. Keiran Sullivan produced a superb tackle to save the day.

Banbury: Skeen, Wallbridge, McKinness, Sullivan, Redknap, Fuller, Corbett, Phillips, Jenkins (McKay 74), Gooderick, Dorrian (Rogan 31). Sub not used: Brock.