Banbury Match Report

Today’s team:

O.Davies;
A.Davies,Tancock,McDonald,Barrow;
Richards,Evans;
Traylor,Reffell,Jenkins;
McLaggon;

Subs:
Prosser for Richards after about 61 minutes
Wright for McLaggon after about 78 minutes
Copp for Jenkins at the same time
Watkins
Patten

A change from Tuesday meant Corey Jenkins started in place of Ryan Prosser. There was a late change to the substitutes – at least to those announced - with Jarrad Wright replacing Gavin Williams.

There was good travelling support for Banbury – must be the best we’ve seen for some time.

With about 6 minutes gone Banbury were as close to scoring as they were to be throughout the match, when a ball came in from the left and was knocked down for Oliver Davies to have to twice save with his legs from close range in quick succession before eventually dropping on another follow-up effort.

Our first real opening came after about 16 minutes following a throw in down the right. Adam Davies put the ball to the near side of the area where Corey Jenkins knocked it down for Ian Traylor but he put his shot well over the bar.
A couple of minutes after that the Banbury keeper had to go down to save a header back from one of his own players, and on about 29 minutes it was nearly another own goal when a Banbury player sent the ball back from out wide and it not only beat his own keeper but also went narrowly past the far post.

We deserved to take the lead with about 38 minutes gone when Keyon Reffell slipped past a defender close to the byline on the right before crossing to Kayne McLaggon who set up Corey Jenkins on the left of the area for a shot which produced a brilliant flying save from the keeper.

On chances it was a fair scoreline at half time, with both keepers responsible for it being 0-0 as it had been a fairly tight game.

A couple of minutes after the break the Banbury keeper almost, but not quite, equalled his first half save, this time pushing away a shot from Ian Traylor after Eliot Richards had attacked the defence.

We’d made a good start to the half, and were close again after Corey Jenkins was brought down just outside the area on the left. Ian Traylor’s free kick into the goalmouth was headed away to Scott Barrow who put a shot just over the bar.

Just after the hour mark Ryan Prosser came on for Eliot Richards, with Kayne McLaggon dropping back. A minute later there was good work by Ian Traylor to get in a cross from the right to Kayne McLaggon whose glancing header across goal must have been close to going in at the far post.

We’d dominated the second half and took a deserved lead with the substitution paying off when Ryan Prosser got on the end of a long ball forward by Curtis McDonald to head it on to Kayne McLaggon. He held off a defender on the right of the area to fire a shot across the keeper and into the net.

We made a double substitution after about 78 minutes, Kayne McLaggon and Corey Jenkins going off and Kyle Copp coming on to play wide on the left and Jarrad Wright in midfield. Before long, though Keyon Reffell moved out to the left with Copp in midfield.

With about 86 minutes gone Banbury won a free kick out on their right which when it came across was cleared out for a throw on the other side. Following this a player ran across the box and was adjudged to have been brought down by Kyle Copp for a penalty. However, Oliver Davies won us all three points, going down to his left to push the kick away.

We ran out the clock comfortably after that aided by a breakaway when Ian Traylor took the ball off a defender to run clear and cross the ball to Ryan Prosser whose shot was deflected for a corner, the whistle then being blown before it could be taken.

Well, a very good three points and we owe it to Oliver Davies for ensuring a deserved win. After their early opportunity Banbury had never looked like scoring again, as we dominated the second half. It was an improved performance from Tuesday night, although we seldom seemed to get going down the left hand side, with Scott Barrow not quite at his best going forward and Corey Jenkins not much in the game apart from his goal effort in the first half and a good run before being fouled in the second.  Oliver Davies man of the match for the penalty save, but it was a good team performance, with particular mentions for Ian Traylor, Kayne McLaggon, Ashley Evans and Scott Tancock, who overall showed why he’s keeping his place in the side.

With Leamington’s shock 6-0 home defeat by Slough it’s opened up the top of the table now – let’s hope we can keep the pressure up against Redditch on Tuesday night.

A win on Tuesday night v Redditch will lift us up to second spot in the league on 62 points.

Just uploaded a few photos from yesterday's game including both the goal and the penalty save.

Great photos once again Pete,

The save at full stretch was top class as is the shot catching him doing so.

If I got down that low , I wouldn't get up for a week after.

Boz

I wouldn't even attempt to get down there.

As always top class photography brilliant pics Peter

Thanks Doug I always try my best doesn't always work though.