Bashley 1 (Knowles 18)

Banbury Utd 0

A poor display by all three match officials, and a feeak goal in the first half were the main talking points as Banbury took nothing from this Premier Division game.

The only goal of the match came when Banbury keeper Mark Scott cleared a Ben Milner back-pass from the feet of Mark Gamble, just outside the penalty area.

But the ball went straight to Chris Knowles, who was in the centre-circle, and he immediately returned the ball over Scott’s head and into the gaping net.

It was a game of few chances, with Milner winning everything at the back for Banbury, whose forwards posed few problems until the closing stages.

In the 77th minute, David Stone was blatantly pulled back as he used his pace to latch onto a pass by Joe Coleman, but nothing was given by the referee nor his assistant, who had a perfect view of the incident.

It is all too easy to blame match officials when things go against a team, but the incorrect decisions given throughout the game, were an embarrassment.

Banbury’s cause was not helped though by their insistence to keep sending free-kicks, corners and crosses straight down the throat of David Elm in the Bashley goal.

Banbury: Scott, Haisley, Ashton, Milner, Learoyd, Redknap (Benjamin 60, Shariff 87), Coleman, Stanbridge, Stone, Hilliard (Taylor 68), Martin. Sub not used: Foster.

Attendance: 316.