​New boy stars in fine United win

New signing Dan Jarvis was making his debut after joining United from Kettering Town and it was a fine start for the new man, being involved for both of Banbury’s goals.

Banbury started the game in great fashion, and soon put the home side under pressure with their fast forward play. Jarvis had an early goal disallowed for offside, then Tai Fleming’s header from a right-sided corner was caught just under the bar by Sudbury keeper James Bradbrook.

Just 60 seconds later Jarvis went close when his shot from the left was charged down by Thomas Dickens.

However, Banbury’s pressure had to tell, and in the 23rd minute they took the lead. From yet another corner, Jarvis swung the flag-kick precisely into the middle and Yaw Ofosu rose unchallenged to powerfully head home.

Banbury again went close in the 33rd minute from Connor Stanley and four minutes later from Jarvis again, but the second goal came in the 42nd minute as Jarvis raced down the middle from around 40 yards out, and in a great show of individual skill, jinked inside his marker and planted the ball wide of Bradbrook.

Sudbury looked little brighter after the break although were also a little more robust in their approach, George Forsyth having to retire injured after a ‘studs up’ challenge that went unpunished.

In the 56th minute, Teddy Rowe went close to a third and three minutes later Jaanai Gordon saw his header go just too high. Gordon went close again in the 65th minute and in the 70th minute he was scythed down with a two-footed assault, resulting in a free-kick and nothing else, when it should have seen a red card.

United again went close in the 78th minute when Stanley went on a mazy run and finished the run with an effort that Bradbrook did well to save.

Connor Ferguson was denied a third by an offside flag late on despite the ball having come to him via a Sudbury player, before in eight minutes of stoppage time Liam Pearce reduced the arrears to make it a nervy finish, but United held on for three valuable points.