Boss Whing happy with Puritans’ four-point return

The Puritans have maintained their fine start to the Vanarama National League North campaign after a fine 2-1 home success over Scarborough Athletic at the weekend was followed by a 1-1 draw against Gloucester City on Tuesday night.

Banbury went in front courtesy of an own-goal in midweek but were pegged back before being reduced to 10 men when Harry Parsons was sent-off for a second bookable offence.

However, securing a share of the spoils keeps Whing’s men in second place in the table ahead of a break from league action at the weekend when they take on Berkhamsted in the third qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup.

“It’s a really good return for us,” Whing said.

“I don’t want to make too many excuses but we have been hit by injuries and we brought three players in last week and then we had a really good second-half performance on Saturday.

“But then we have had a couple more go down with illness and injury so that summed up the way it’s been going for us.

“We went with what we had against Gloucester and it was a bit like Saturday again.

“We were dominant in the first half and 20 minutes into the second half I felt like only one team was going to win it.

“We scored a good goal and then we just had a shocking five minutes where we have conceded a terrible goal from a set-piece.

“Then we got a man sent-off again, which was a really silly one. But, even with 10 men, we kept going and it was a decent point in the end.

“I was a bit frustrated because it felt like an opportunity to win another game but, overall, we are relatively happy with four points from the two games.”