Merthyr Tydfil 3 (Belle pen 72, 77, pen 82)

Banbury Utd 2 (Taylor 69, Benjamin 89)

Banbury United conceded three goals in ten disastrous minutes – two of them dubious penalties – and slipped to an unlucky defeat in Saturday’s Premier Division game.

Banbury had the better of the first-half, which finished goalless.

Five minutes after the break, Banbury’s Jason Taylor was put through clear, but with just keeper Andrew Delve to beat, he delayed his shot, and the ball ran wide.

Banbury were still the better side, and Delve made a double save when he foiled both Taylor and George Redknap, as the pair bore down on goal, However, two minutes later, Banbury went in front when a poor clearance was chested down by Redknap into the path of Taylor who beat Delve from six yards, getting injured in the process.

Merthyr Tydfil piled on the pressure and equalised in dubious circumstances in the 72nd minute.

In a challenge that looked shoulder-to-shoulder, leaving both players on the ground, Ben Milner was adjudged to have fouled home substitute Matt Trorman and a penalty was awarded, which top scorer Cortez Belle put away at the second attempt.

Five minutes later, Merthyr took the lead when the ball was headed over Joe Murrell at the near post, leaving Belle with the easiest of chances.

In the 82nd minute, the home side were awarded another penalty that looked even more dubious than the first.

Milner was again adjudged to have fouled Trorman and even though Murrell got his hands to the ball, he could not prevent Belle from completing his ten-minute hat-trick to put the game beyond Banbury.

The visitors never let their heads drop as they poured forward, and in the 89th minute, Declan Benjamin pulled a goal back when he fired home.

This game was yet another example of Banbury’s inability to put their chances away, but a good sign was David Stone’s appearance from the substitute’s bench for the last ten minutes.

Banbury Utd: Murrell, Redknap (Stone 80), Martin, Milner, Learoyd, Haisley, Coleman, Benjamin, Forinton, Taylor (Stanbridge72), Ashton.. Subs not used:) Stringfellow, Livous.

Attendance: 284