Banbury Utd 1

(Ashton 73)

Chippenham Tn 0

Jack Ashton’s second-half header earned Banbury United their first Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division win of the season at Spencer Stadium on Saturday.

It also broke the hoodoo Chippenham had held over Banbury, with the Puritans having failed to register a win against the Wiltshire side in 15 games stretching back to March 2007.

Boss Edwin Stein gave debuts to centre back James Sage on a month’s loan from Peterborough United, and midfielder Warren Plowright, who has joined from Dunstable Town.

Former Brazilian MK Dons scholar and Grasshoppers of Zurich Under 21 winger Igor Coronado also came on to make his debut from the bench, while another new signing, midfielder Adam Fry, was an unused substitute.

The best chance of the first half fell to the visitors, but James Guthrie was off target from Luke Ballinger’s cross.

Play remained even, but Banbury broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute when Dan Lawlor swung in a corner for Ashton to power a header past keeper Conor Thomson.

Alan Griffin blasted a good chance over to equalise for Chippenham, while Ricky Johnson and Adeyinka Talabi were both denied by Thomson.

Banbury Utd: Cross, Cray, Howell, Plowright, Ashton, Sage, Polk, Lawlor, Johnson, Woodley (Coronado 85), Talabi. Subs not used: Kusi, Fry, Lorraine.

Attendance: 234.

  • Banbury United must wait to find out who they will entertain in the FA Carlsberg Trophy first qualifying round on September 29 after Clevedon Town drew 2-2 at home to Wimborne Town.