Banbury United into Third Qualifying Round of FA Cup for the first time since 2005 with 6-1 hammering of Cirencester Town
There was little between the sides in the opening ten minutes but the game swung heavily in Banbury’s favour in the 12th minute when Alfie Kilgour was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Jacob Blackstock who fortunately was able to continue after treatment.
This changed the pattern of the game with Banbury now starting to dominate and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 17th minute when a low cross in from the right by Blackstock was knocked home by Felipe Barcelos, playing his last game for the club before leaving for university, from close range.
Four minutes later a George Jeacock shot from the edge of the Cirencester penalty area went just wide but to their credit the home side worked their way back into the game. In the 24th minute Lee Smith tested Jack Harding in the Banbury goal with a shot from a narrow angle on the left hand edge of the six yard box but the custodian was equal to it.
However, on 31 minutes Banbury put themselves firmly in control when Zac McEachran went on a storming run from the half way line to just outside the home side’s penalty area before passing across to Jeacock down the right who centred the ball low back for McEachran who had continued his run and he fired the ball home from ten yards.
In the 39th minute Cirencester did go close to pulling a goal back when a long range effort from James Coates went just over.
Banbury though dominated the start of the second half. Conor McDonagh, on as a substitute at the start of the half, shot just wide from 20 yards out in the 47th minute and two minutes later McEachran went close from 12 yards as Banbury threatened to effectively seal the game with a third goal.
McDonagh was again just wide with a shot on 55 minutes but seconds later the bustling centre forward got his rewards for his efforts when set up by McEachran, slipping the ball past Harvey Rivers in the Cirencester goal from 12 yards to make it 3-0.
In the 65th minute it was 4-0 as a low cross from the right by McDonagh into the path of Barcelos saw score from 12 yards out his second goal of the game.
In the 72nd minute a free-kick from out on the left taken by Darius Browne was headed home at the far post by Ricky Johnson, the ball being helped into the net by a defender to make it 5-0.
McDonagh went close with a fierce drive in the 75th minute, Rivers doing well to knock the shot around the post for a corner. In the 89th minute Blackstock picked out Darius Browne with a low cross from the right with the shot from the edge of the penalty area bringing out the save of the day as Rivers pushed the ball around the post for a corner.
Cirencester did get a consolation goal in the second minute of stoppage time through Matt Liddiard, but Banbury would have the last word with Callum White doing well to bring the ball in from the left before fiercely firing it past Rivers from a narrow angle to make the final score 6-1.
Cirencester Town: Harvey Rivers, James Coates, Kyle Lapham (Sam Farr 58), Alfie Kilgour, Matt Liddiard, Ben Brown, Lee Smith, Adam Connolly, Charlie. Griffin, Ross Langworthy, Ollie Knight (Andy Ellcock 66).
Subs (not used) Andy Ellcock, Sam Farr
Banbury United: Jack Harding, Callum White, Jacob Blackstock, George Nash, James Fawke, Andy Gunn, Zac McEachran (Darius Browne 58), Jack Westbrook, Ricky Johnson, George Jeacock (Conor McDonagh 46), Felipe Barcelos (Mark Janes 75).
Subs (not used): Mark Bell, Jack Self, Adam Rimmer, Lester Davies.
Attendance: 155
By David Shadbolt