Banbury United produced a tenacious display to win 2-1 in their crucial Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division relegation battle away to fellow strugglers Hitchin Town on Saturday.

Boss Edwin Stein’s side deserved to earn a victory which takes them above Hitchin in the table.

Banbury’s front two of Albi Skendi and Kynan Isaac posed a constant threat to the home defence, the former having a shot blocked early on.

The visitors took the lead in the 39th minute when Wayne Blossom headed home from a corner.

The defender almost netted again a minute late, but his header went wide.

Hitchin raised their game in the second half, Callum Donnelly seeing his shot fumbled by Dean Coleman.

In another attack, Zack Burke shot wide for the home side.

At the other end, a great double-save by home keeper Martin Bennett denied both Skendi and Isaac.

Against the run of play, Hitchin equalised in the 74th minute when leading scorer John Frendo took advantage of a mistake by Coleman to run the ball into the net from close range.

But they were level for only seven minutes as Banbury’s Talabi Adeyinka struck home the winning goal from a fine pass by Scott Bridges.

Banbury: Coleman, Cray, Martin, Bloss-om, Ashton, Agyeman-Prempah, Brid-ges, Plowright, Skendi, Isaac, Adeyinka.