Baker bags a brace as Terras sink the Puritans

Banbury United's Darren Pond and Weymouth's Josh Carmichael compete for the ball

The Puritans lost 2-1 against third-placed Weymouth but they did more than enough to have got something from the game.

Harry Baker gave the Terras the perfect start in Saturday’s premier division clash at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium. Tom Winters equalised but Baker grabbed his second goal after the restart and that proved to be the winner.

New signing Nuno Felix made his debut, replacing Jordy Ngathe, with Tom Bradbury returning into defence which allowed Ricky Johnson to go back up front to fill void created by the midweek departure of top scorer Jefferson Louis.

United went behind in the fourth minute when Calvin Brooks broke through on the right and he cut the ball back from the by-line into the path of the incoming Baker who struck the ball into the top corner of the net.

After going behind, United were second best for a period with Weymouth creating several opportunities. But United stepped up their game and finally began to pose questions the visitors.

Travers pulled off a superb save to keep out a 20 yard strike from George Nash which looked bound for the top corner of the net. But United deservedly equalised a minute before the break when Charlie Hawtin’s cross went all the way through to Winters whose drive from a tight angle took a deflection off Abdulai Baggie before finding the back of the net.

After the restart, United enjoyed their best period of the contest and Travers pulled off another good save from a fierce shot from Conor McDonagh. But Weymouth regained the lead in the 57th minute when they broke quickly with Baggie surging forward before releasing Ben Thomson who crossed into the six-yard box for Baker to score from close range.

After regaining the lead, Weymouth looked relatively comfortable even though United pushed forward in the closing stages. But the closest United came to an equaliser was when a cross from Winters saw Luke Carnell’s header saved by Travers, the ball fell to substitute Leam Howards in the six-yard box but Stephane Zubar cleared off the line with appeals for handball going unanswered.