Derby-day misery for Banbury United as Stratford Town end 66-year wait for away win

The Puritans, now without a win in their last seven Southern League Premier Central matches, slump into the relegation zone.

To rub salt in the wounds of Kelvin Langmead’s side, Tuesday evening’s result marked rivals Stratford’s first league win of the campaign at their ninth attempt.

Not only that, but it was the Bards’ first victory away at Banbury in a whopping 66 years.

It all started so well for Banbury when Joel Anker broke the deadlock on 14 minutes, showing great composure to volley into the bottom left corner from close range.

Anker’s goal came from a missile of a long throw from Jacob Scott which Stratford failed to clear, looping a header high into the air. Anker was then the quickest to pounce for 1-0.

But it took merely five minutes for Stratford to equalise as Zach McKenzie headed into the net from 10 yards, converting from an excellent Jack Storer cross.

The Bards could have levelled up the scoring even sooner than that as Banbury goalkeeper Jack Harding was forced into a fine diving save to deny Kobe Hall’s stinging strike.

After a scrappy remainder of the first half at the TUGO Community Stadium, Stratford came out of the blocks firing for the second period.

Away attacker Kobe Hall looked to capitalise but he completely fluffed his lines, missing an absolute open-goal sitter from six yards.

Banbury had failed to deal with a long pass over the top, with Bards winger McKenzie rounding Puritans goalkeeper Harding before drilling the ball low into the danger area.

Hall then had the whole goal to aim at but the ball bobbled at just the wrong moment and he skied over the bar, to a chorus of home taunts.

But Stratford had the next laugh as Hall eventually got his goal on 61 minutes, poking home from close quarters after Harding spilt a whipped cross from Reece Flanagan.

Stratford impact substitute Jack Bearne then compounded the Puritans’ misery by making it 3-1 in the 80th minute, drilling in off the far post with a wonderful finish.

Bearne very nearly had a second as he sprinted through onto a hopeful long pass and dodged a challenge from Banbury defender Oran Jackson, but his shot fizzed narrowly wide.

Alex Prosser reduced the arrears for Banbury in the 88th minute, poking home through a crowd of bodies to make it 3-2 after a pinball situation in the Stratford penalty area.

But the response proved too little, too late as the Puritans finished just short and Stratford held on for the three points.

Banbury now have a weekend off before their next game, at home against bottom-of-the-league Stamford AFC on Saturday, October 10.