Banbury 2 Needham Market 1

A late strike by Banbury’s Giorgio Rasulo gave the Oxfordshire side victory and condemned the Marketmen to their fifth game without a win, writes Paul Munn.

Joe Iaciofano had given the hosts an early lead, with the Marketmen fighting back to draw level through a Joseph Marsden first half stoppage-time penalty.

Banbury got off to a great start with a couple of early attacks and they took the lead in the fifth minute. Ravi Shamsi and Rasulo combined from a corner to deliver the ball into the six-yard box, where it fell to Iaciofano who slotted it in from close range.

The Marketmen responded with Luke Ingram firing into the side-netting from a near post corner.

Banbury looked a real threat on the counter-attack with the pace of Ravi Shamsi and causing the Marketmen defence problems.

They both had decent opportunities, Shamsi firing wide with a first time effort from the edge of the box and Iaciofano sending an effort over the top after being played in by Banbury skipper Ricky Johnson.

The Marketmen kept plugging away and a route one ball from Jake Jessup saw Adam Mills hit a speculative volley from wide on the left flank which had Banbury’s keeper Jack Harding back-peddling, but it flew past the far post.

In the final action of the first half Marsden created a shooting opportunity. His effort was blocked in the box by Harry Whitehead.

However the referee adjudged he did so with his arm and pointed to the penalty spot. Marsden, having missed one last week, sent Jack Harding the wrong way to level up the score.

After the restart, the Marketmen enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges. Russell Short and Luke Ingram both had efforts that went wide of the target.

With five minutes remaining of normal time Banbury’s Amer Awadh’s won possession on the left and played it inside to Rasulo, who cut inside his marker and beat Jessup with a low drive from 20 yards that found the bottom corner of the net to give the hosts the victory.