BANBURY netted a goal in each half to pick up a 2-0 win over Harriers at Aggorough on Saturday.

By contrast to the excellent win at Spennymoor a week prior and even the defeat against Brackley after that, Harriers were far from at the races against the Puritans who deserved their success.

Harriers had hit the post on eight minutes with one of their best chances of the day, but failed to work goalkeeper Jack Harding into any serious saves of note, Tom Owen-Evans and Ashley Hemmings also striking off target in the first half hour.

Banbury had the lead on 34 minutes. A long throw into the are was knocked on for the unmarked Henry Landers to turn beyond goalkeeper Christian Dibble.

The visitors could’ve had a second in the early stages of the second half as both Landers and Jaanai Gordon tested Dibble, but the shot-stopper was equal their efforts.

It was at that point that the Reds put together their best two efforts of the day – Morgan-Smith had them both, seeing one header tipped well over the bar before a low shot was blocked.

Having weathered that storm, Banbury regrouped and solidified again, grabbing a second more fortuitous goal with ten minutes to go. Jack Stevens lifted a free kick towards the top corner where Dibble got a hand to it, turning it on to the post where it came back and struck him before finding the back of the net.

It was the visitors who could and should have made it 3-0 – sub Slavi Spasov was through on goal with five minutes left to go, but thumped the base of the post with a firm drive with just Dibble to beat.