Zamaretto Southern League

Didcot Tn 0, Banbury Utd 2

BANBURY United stretched their unbeaten run to three matches after a hard-fought victory at their Oxfordshire rivals in the Premier Division on Saturday.

There was not much to choose between the two sides, but Banbury were more clinical around Didcot’s penalty area, and a goal in each half secure a deserved victory.

The home side started brightly, Elliot Osborne-Ricketts being denied by a smart Joe Murrell save early on.

But with their first meaningful attack, Banbury took the lead.

Marvin Martin’s throw picked out Declan Benjamin, who laid the ball into the path of the impressive Nabil Shariff.

Although Shariff’s initial shot was blocked, he latched on to the rebound to drill past Sam Warrell in the Didcot goal.

Murrell produced two key saves to deny Osborne-Ricketts and Michael Bartley.

The visitors dominated the second half, and always looked the more likely to score.

Learoyd almost doubled the lead with a header, while Nathan Haisley also went close, but was denied by Warrell.

But they had to wait until eight minutes from time when Osborne-Ricketts was penalised for a foul in the penalty area and Jason Taylor slammed the resulting spot-kick past Warrell to secure victory.

Didcot Tn: Warrell, Dutton-Black, M Williams (Hopkins 70), Williams, Stanley, Gunn, Alexis (Mortimer-Jones 56), Heapy, Bartley, Osborne-Ricketts, Witt (Draycott 70).

Banbury Utd: Murrell, Stanbridge, Howarth, Gordon, Lea-royd, Haisley, Coleman, Benjamin, Shariff (Cross 90), Taylor, Martin.

Attendance: 225.