St Albans City 1

(Newton 69)

Banbury Utd 1

(Johnson pen 60)

Banbury United picked up a valuable point at in-form St Albans City in their battle against relegation from the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division.

St Albans were the better side in the first half, but a mixture of great defending and good fortune with Sakho Bakare hitting a post with a low drive and then smacking the crossbar with an overhead bicycle kick, saw the scoreline blank at the interval.

However, Banbury were dangerous on the break, with Howard Forinton, making his return debut in his fourth spell at the club, Ricky Johnson and Josh Cole going close.

The deadlock was broken in the 60th minute when Forinton got to a through ball fractionally before home keeper Nick Jupp, who ran into the back of him, and a penalty was given.

Johnson smashed the ball into the bottom corner.

St Albans hit back in the 69th minute though when Simeon Williams’s short pass failed to reach Tommy Kinch and the hosts counter-attacked, with David Ijaha crossing from the right for the unmarked Howard Newton to slot home.

Banbury almost snatched victory when Williams’s cross-shot sailed over Jupp and hit the inside of a post, bounced back across the goal to Forinton, whose close-range shot was charged down by a defender.

Banbury Utd: Kemp, Thackeray, Kinch, Dolman, Chilton, Coleman, Howell, Cole, Johnson (Blake 86), Forinton, Williams. Subs not used: Polk, Angus, Richardson.

Attendance: 482.