Banbury closed the gap at the top of Division 3A in the Women's South Clubs League with a thrilling 3-2 win at leaders Witney.

Some tough indoor training during the cold snap paid an early dividend for Banbury when Hayley Nunneley made it 1-0.

Witney levelled with a controversial penalty flick from Joy Mangazi and then superb tackles from both player-of-the-match Liz McVey and Jo Hopkins kept Banbury in the game.

Witney were not to be denied, however, a great individual goal from Sadie Lapper making it 2-1 before Banbury went down to ten players when Karen Brooker was yellow-carded.

After the break, Mel Wilkinson netted Banbury’s equaliser from a short corner, and with ten minutes left, Natasha Nunneley put the visitors 3-2 ahead.

Banbury kept cool in the closing stages for a memorable victory.

City of Oxford were distraught after a second-half collapse saw them crash 5-4 away to Hampstead & Westminster in Division 3A.

All seemed fine for City when they led 3-1, but then their defence fell apart, conceding four goals.

Kim Watkins scored twice for City, whose others came from Anne-marie Davenport and Rachel Lammey.

l Witney, fielding only ten players, qualified for the Midland finals of the England Hockey U14 Girls club competition despite losing 2-0 to Worcester in their league qualifying match at Cheltenham Girls College.

Stand-in keeper Abbie Manning did well, but it was always an uphill battle against a full-strength Worcester outfit.