Banbury United 2-1 Rugby Town

Southern League Premier Division

Monday, 17th April 2006

Attendance | 356

Photo Gallery | Delroy Gordon nets the equaliser

It was an improved performance from the Town on Easter Monday at the Spencer Stadium, but they still finished the game empty handed - falling to a decisive 65th minute strike from Puritans substitute Darren Pond.

Willis Francis started his first game for the club in 2006, having finally returned from an extended trip to the Caribbean following a family illness. Rushden & Diamonds youngster Tom Shaw was also available again, and manager Billy Jeffrey opted to hand a striking role to Matt Gearing in place of the injured David Stone. From the side which had started the disappointing home defeat against Grantham two days earlier, Steve Evans and Ryan Byrne both dropped down to the bench.

Both sides struggled to cope with the strong wind and bumpy pitch, and not for the first time in Town's last few games, good football was definitely at a premium for spectators.

The game was delayed for 40 minutes with a number of the Rugby team stuck in traffic on the M40 following an accident, and inevitably as a result the home side looked better prepared and more focused at the start of the match.

George Redknap had the first clear cut opportunity of the game for the home side when he saw his downward header strike the post after a swirling cross from Ollie Stanbridge had confused the visitors’ defence.

Despite playing against the wind, the Valley still managed to create chances of their own in the opening period. Fine work down the right hand flank between Delroy Gordon and Gearing led to a dangerous ball into the box from the latter, which Kevin Slinn was unable to make proper contact with as he slid in towards it.

Gordon had an opportunity himself later in the half, when he found himself with room after cutting in from the right, but his shot failed trouble home keeper Simon Tricker. Gearing also skied an effort from the edge of the area, before Jon Gardner gave Banbury the lead on 42 minutes when he latched onto a ball bouncing about the penalty box and hooked it into the top corner of the net.

Rugby started the second half brightly and gained an early reward for their endeavours on 49 minutes when Shaw's long diagonal ball found Gordon in space in the box. Tricker managed to block Gordon's first shot, but the wing-back managed to scramble home the rebound for his 11th goal of the season.

Jeffrey's old playing colleague Kevin Brock then made a double substitution on 64 minutes for the home side, which proved to be a match winning decision when one of the two players introduced - Pond - received the ball from Les Robinson, and showed a good first touch, before rifling a 20 yard volley home for what would turn out to be the game's winner.

The Valley had two good shouts for a penalty turned down by the referee, with Gearing's shot suspiciously looking to be handled on the line and then the same player was upended in the box later in the half, but this again failed to convince the official to point to the spot.

Wayne Blossom could have added to the Banbury total when he showed good control with his chest at the back post and then saw his downward shot bounce up onto the Rugby crossbar and away to safety.

The game ended with the a number of goalmouth scrambles within the Banbury area, with Valley keeper Farhad Afandiyev joining his colleagues in a number of attacks - even taking his side's throw-ins on a couple of occasions.

Rugby's best opportunity in these late exchanges saw Banbury defender Tommy Kinch clear another Gordon effort from the line.