FOOTBALL: N'Guessan and Isaac lift Banbury (From Oxford Mail)

FOOTBALL: N'Guessan and Isaac lift Banbury

9:40am Monday 28th January 2013 in Sport

A new-look Banbury United side secured a 2-0 victory over Chippenham Town in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division thanks to first-half goals from Joseph N’Guessan and Kynan Isaac, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

Manager Edwin Stein fielded three debutants as the Puritans cruised home.

And it was one of those new faces who put the visitors in front on the half-hour mark when a simple through ball down the middle found N’Guessan in space between the Chippenham centre-halves.

He brought the ball down excellently before stroking it home to give Banbury the lead from their first real chance.

The opener came against the run of play, as the hosts had dominated the early stages and could have taken the lead themselves when the pacy Tom Knighton got the wrong side of the defence only to see his left-footed effort palmed away by Banbury goalkeeper Warren Carter, who was also making his debut.

But after taking the lead, Banbury soon established a stranglehold on the game and Carter was barely called into action throughout the rest of the match.

Isaac added a second for Banbury just before half-time, taking advantage of a miscommunication between Chippenham goalkeeper Ben John and defender Steve Casey to slot the ball into an empty net.

This sparked a bitter argument between John and captain Casey with the pair almost coming to blows.

Chippenham player-manager Nathan Rudge made a triple substitution at half-time in an attempt to reverse his side’s ailing fortunes.

But his attempt backfired when Alex Kite was forced to leave the field midway through the half after suffering an injury in a challenge on Isaac, forcing the hosts to finish the match with ten men.

Banbury, whose third debutant Michael Hopkins, signed from North Leigh, came on as a substitute in the 63rd minute, were rarely troubled in the second half.

Chippenham were limited to just one effort of note – a weak header from Knighton which Carter saved easily.

The win moves Banbury up two places to 13th.

Banbury Utd: Carter, Cray, Martin, Ashton, Allen, Bridges, N’Guessan (W Plowright 90), Skendi, Blossom, Isaac (Shariff 79), Lait (Hopkins 63). Subs not used: R Plowright, Dumbleton.

Referee: P Lavelle.

Attendance: 311.

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