Banbury won the toss and elected to kick off. It took Newbury a few minutes to settle, with Rachel Panting initiating their first break, followed by good work down the right by Lorna Parr and Gemma Burnett. Newbury were enjoying much of the possession in the opening 10 minutes, but then Banbury looked dangerous on their first break, when they forced two quick corners.

The deadlock was broken in the 17th minute and it was Banbury who opened the scoring. Newbury’s defence only just managed to clear a cross, but not far enough and the Banbury full back played the ball back into the area. It was flicked on and the ball sailed above the head of Chloe Hunt in the Newbury goal to give Banbury a one nil lead.

Newbury responded well and were on the attack straight away through Ellie Reed and Burnett, who combined to release Ruby Oliver and she won Newbury their first corner of the game. It was Reed who latched onto a loose Banbury clearance, to round one player and then attempted to lob the keeper, who had strayed off her line. Unfortunately the shot was not quite high enough and the goalkeeper claimed safely.

All the play was now in the Banbury half, as Newbury pressed hard for an equaliser. Burnett was drifting wide, where she was finding space and she sent in two crosses in quick succession, from which her team mates could not capitalise. But she found Panting unmarked just inside the area with her third cross, but the Newbury skipper blazed high over the bar.

As half time approached, Newbury gained another corner, which was initially cleared, but only to the edge of the area where Panting was again lurking. Unfortunately her shot this time was almost a carbon copy of her previous effort, as it was again high and over the cross bar. Newbury were ahead in the number of goal attempts recorded at half time, but still found themselves trailing to a solitary goal.

Newbury re-took to the pitch for the second half, determined to turn the match around. They were given an early opportunity after Oliver was upended just inside the Banbury half and a free kick was awarded. The ball was swung in deep into the penalty area and the Referee adjudged that a Banbury defender had handled the ball. He had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot. Newbury skipper for the day, Rachel Panting, stepped up to convert with ease and levelled the scores at one all.

Midfielder, Lorna Parr, almost gave Newbury the lead just two minutes later when she ghosted into the right of the penalty area and met another Burnett cross with a deft header that the Banbury keeper did well to save. The parity in the scores did not last long however, as Newbury were guilty of giving away a corner and putting themselves back under pressure. Banbury clinched a second goal and it had taken just 4 minutes for them to re-gain the lead.

The hour mark passed and Newbury made their first substitution, with Laura Ainscough replacing Burnett. Banbury were defending stoically, despite plenty of Newbury pressure. Oliver had a good shooting chance for Newbury, which she skewed wide and Banbury were beginning to hang on to their one goal advantage.

On 79 minutes Gemma Povey replaced Sam Atkins in midfield and shortly afterwards, Oliver was again released onto a good through ball. But again she shot agonisingly wide and it was proving to be a case of chances not taken for Newbury as the clocked ticked down. They forced another corner in the 90th minute, which Sophie Self connected with, but Banbury blocked and again cleared well.

The match now crept into time added on, with both sides unsure of how many minutes the Referee would allow over the 90. Newbury were going for broke and substitute Povey pushed forward. She received a throw-in with her back to goal wide right and skilfully flicked the ball over her head and towards the goal. It looked for a moment as if it was going in, but it just shaved the wrong side of the cross bar and went behind for a Banbury goal kick.

That was to be the last action of the game and it was the visitors from Banbury who were celebrating at the final whistle, having collected all 3 points. In contrast, Newbury were left feeling total frustration.