BANBURY United lost a five-goal thriller at Peterborough Sports as both teams ended with ten men.
Jay Williams was dismissed for an eighth-minute scuffle and the Puritans quickly found themselves 2-0 down, Jordan Nicholson and Mark Jones scoring in quick succession shortly after.
Giorgio Rasulo halved the deficit 12 minutes before the break when he saw his penalty saved but dispatched the rebound.
Jones grabbed his second two minutes after the restart, but a red card for Sports’ Isaiah Bazeley made it ten against ten.
Andy Whing’s side pushed for the goal that would set up a grandstand finish and it arrived in the penultimate minute of normal time, Jack Stevens heading home Jak Hickman’s cross.
The former Oxford United striker spurned an opportunity to equalise moments later, though, as Banbury fell to their second defeat of the season.
They drop a place to third in Vanarama National League North.
Elsewhere, Didcot Town progressed from their Isuzu FA Trophy first qualifying round tie in dramatic fashion as they beat Hamworthy United on penalties.
Connor Barrett put the Railwaymen ahead, only for the hosts to equalise at the death to send the tie to spot-kicks.
Barrett stepped up again, scoring the winning penalty as Didcot triumphed 5-4 in the shoot-out.
Dan West and Greg Hackett were on target in Thame United’s 2-0 victory over Westbury United, but Kidlington fell at the first hurdle.
The Yarnton Road outfit lost 4-2 on penalties to Tavistock after a goalless draw.
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