Southern League: Banbury produced their worst performance of the season as they crashed to defeat at Cheshunt, who are firmly rooted to the bottom of the Southern League Premier Division.

Cheshunt are no better than a mid-table Hellenic League outfit, so North Leigh must be rubbing their hands at the prospect of hosting Banbury in a forthcoming Oxfordshire Senior Cup quarter-final tie.

Banbury started the game positively, getting the ball in the net as early as the sixth minute.

Matty Gooderick beat the offside trap and raced clear, but his wayward shot was poked home by Andy Baird, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

Banbury went close again when Baird's header from a Stuart Bridges cross was blocked on the line.

A prone Kieran Sullivan tried to put the rebound away, but his effort was also stopped on the line, and a grateful Michael Kalli, the Cheshunt 'keeper, grabbed the loose ball.

Shortly afterwards, Kalli saved well from Gooderick's fierce angled shot.

After the initial onslaught, Banbury allowed Cheshunt to get back into the game, and the visitors had Tommy Kinch to thank for a goal-line save from a Lloyd Opara shot in the 40th minute following a corner.

In the second-half, Banbury went from bad to worse.

Even the introduction of three substitutes did little to change proceedings, and the inevitable happened in the 74th minute when Cheshunt opened the scoring.

Anthony Fenton's cross from the right was headed home by Dwayne Clark from close in.

Banbury went close to equalising when Wayne Blossom shot fractionally wide.

Within the next 60 seconds, Cheshunt put the result beyond doubt, Opara slotting the ball home from a few yards.

It is a mystery how Banbury struggle against supposedly inferior sides, while saving their best performances for the stronger teams.

They have won three out of four against teams from the top five, but have only won once in seven games against those from the bottom five!

Banbury Utd: Tricker, Bridges, Kinch, Sullivan, Jackson, Fuller, Stanbridge, Robinson (Redknap 50), Gooderick (Blossom 72), Baird, Lazarus (Gardner 60). Sub not used: Foster.

Attendance: 149.