Buckingham Charity Cup semi-final

Buckingham Town 1 Banbury United 3
(Cory Lee)
In the first leg of the Buckingham Charity Cup semi-final, played at the Spencer Stadium due to the lack of floodlights at Buckingham Town’s current ground, Banbury United gained a two goal advantage to take into the second leg in three weeks time.
As the game settled down, Both teams began to create chances and it was Banbury who had the better of the two teams.
Buckingham always looked dangerous though and there were then good opportunities for Sol Kazongo and Ben Shepherd but they both put shots wide when they probably should have done better. On 30 minutes a free kick from the right went to Dior Angus at the far post but he shot straight at Zac Wade in the Buckingham goal.

It was however to be Buckingham who would take the lead when, seven minutes before the interval, a superb counter attack down the left, found Cory Lee in plenty of space just inside the Banbury penalty area and he struck the ball past an exposed Jack Harding. The half finished with a long range effort from Harrison Foster being parried away by Wade and then a minute later Jack Harding did well to save from Joel McCormick.

Second half
Two minutes into the second half, a header from Josh Northam was well saved by Wade but the United player was not to be denied just six minutes later when a cross from the left fell to him about 12 yards out and he struck the ball home. On the hour mark, moments after a Northam shot from 20 yards had struck the post, Banbury were given a dubious penalty as the ref felt Joe Eyre was fouled in the penalty area. Dior Angus stepped up to strike the ball high to the goalkeeper’s left to put Banbury 2-1 in front.

Buckingham responded well to going behind and put Banbury under considerable pressure but were unable to find an equaliser. Then in the last minute of the game, with Buckingham pushing forward, they were caught on the break with a good move down the right which ended with a cross being put into the net by Ben Polk from close range to make the final score 3-1 to Banbury.

The second leg will be played at the Spencer Stadium on Tuesday 24th April. The aggregate winners will play Cogenhoe United in the final at Buckingham Athletic’s ground on Monday 7th May