Oxford United 3 Banbury United 1

For the second time in two seasons Oxford beat Banbury to win the Oxfordshire Senior Cup. Last season goals from Eddie Hutchinson and Declan Benjamin earned the Us a 2-1 win, but this time around, with Hutch long gone and Declan playing for the Puritans, it was a Matt Green hat-trick that earned the professionals a 3-1 victory, with George Redknap scoring Banbury's consolation.

The Oxford line-up was a mixture of youth and experience, with Billy Turley in goal in front of a back four of Sam Parish, Henry Owen, Kevin Sandwith, and Imani Likita. Alfie Potter started on the right of midfield, with Lewis Chalmers and Sam Deering in the centre and Jamie Cook on the left, with Green and John Grant up top. United's first substitution took place at half-time, Conor McDonagh replacing Potter. A few minutes later Deering received a standing ovation as Dan West came on for him, and with 20 minutes remaining Green was taken off and Aaron Woodley given an opportunity. United played the final 25 minutes with just ten players, as Sandwith was injured in the build-up to Banbury's goal.

The game started as a slow burner, with neither side threatening much in the first 15 minutes. United took the lead from a long kick by Turley which was flicked on by Grant. Green latched onto the ball, outpaced his marker and lobbed goalkeeper Joe Murrell. Two minutes later Oxford almost doubled the score in spectacular fashion; Murrell kicked away a loose ball, but his clearance fell to Potter, 40 yards out, who returned it with a smart drive. The ball was heading goalwards but former-U Benjamin managed to stick out a leg and divert it wide.

United did eventually get a second goal shortly before half-time. Grant released Potter on the right and his cross fell invitingly for Green. He controlled the ball and then shot home from close range to give the home side a scoreline their dominance deserved.

Green's hat-trick arrived with the second half less than a minute old. Owen intercepted a forward pass and the ball found its way to Grant. He passed to Green who wriggled past a defender and beat Murrell with a low drive. United had opportunities to extend their lead, first when Woodley burst clear but he was off balance as he tried to chip Murrell and the 'keeper had an easy catch. Woodley then turned creator when he did well to beat his man on the left and he crossed perfectly for the on-rushing Cook, who was unable to divert the ball goalwards when he should have done better.

Banbury took the hint and soon afterwards pulled a goal back when former United youth player Marvin Martin's excellent cross was met by Nabil Sharif, who forced Turley into a good save, but the rebound fell kindly for Redknap who buried his shot, despite a lunging tackle from Sandwith that saw the defender, and captain for the night, limp from the field.

Despite having a one-man advantage, the Banbury side were disappointing in their approach work and failed to really trouble Turley. Lewis Hilliard, who looked lively up front, had one presentable opportunity that he shot well over, but United defended well and looked threatening on the break, although Cook blew another good chance when he broke clear but was out-muscled when the chance to shoot presented itself.

Turley, possibly making his final appearance in an Oxford shirt, was as usual loud and dominant, marshalling his defence well. The three youngsters at the back all had excellent games, with Owen and Likita in particular impressing both on and off the ball, while Sandwith did well to keep them in line until his injury. Chalmers controlled the midfield well, with Deering playing the Adam Murray creative role with aplomb and Potter always looking threatening on the right wing. Green's hat-trick speaks for itself, which leaves Cook and Grant as the major disappointments. Both players linked up well with their colleagues, as testified by Grant's contribution to all three of Green's goals, but neither looked particularly like scoring, Cook especially missing a couple of presentable chances while Grant failed to get even a sniff of goal.

A good night on the home front was made better by the news from Bootham Crescent, where York City's 5-0 win over AFC Wimbledon guaranteed United's play-off place. The win lifts York to fourth, two points behind Oxford but having played a game more. Wimbledon and Crawley Town can still catch Rushden & Diamonds if an unlikely sequence of results occurs, but otherwise it looks like the play-off places are more or less finalised with four or more games still to play.[@opponent]banbury united[/@opponent][@opponent]banbury spencer[/@opponent][@news]2501[/@news]