Banbury United 0 Oxford United 3

Oxford put aside their recent poor pre-season performances to turn over a disappointing Banbury side at the Spencer Stadium this evening. United went a goal up through a Sam Deering shot that Scott Cross, the goalkeeper on loan from Corby Town, should have done better with. The Us extended their lead in the second half, first through a penalty coolly converted by Mitchell Cole after Deering was shoved in the back, and finally through new loan signing Danny Philliskirk after a mazey run by Cole to set him up.

Oxford started the game strongly, although their passing suffered on a surface that looked more like a country meadow than a football pitch. Simon Eastwood started in goal, with Sam Parish and Steven Kinniburgh the full-backs and Leigh Franks and ROS Henry Owen in the centre. Richie Baker was playing his first game since his injury at Livingston in the centre of midfield, with Deering in the advanced midfield position and Lee Sawyer (a former Chelsea and Barnet youngster on trial) and Mitchell Cole on the wings and Philliskirk and Aaron Woodley in attack.

Banbury had the first strike on goal almost immediately after kick-off, but thereafter United controlled the first half. The goal came after about quarter of an hour, when Philliskirk gained possession inside the Banbury area and fed the ball to Deering, whose scuffed shot deceived Cross, who dived over the ball. A minute later Cross was in action again to save from Philliskirk, who shortly afterwards shot wide. Banbury's best chance of the first half came from a poorly defended corner, when the unmarked Jason Taylor powered a header inches wide.

At half-time Simon Clist made his first appearance of the pre-season, coming on for ROS Owen, with Parish moving into the centre of defence and Baker switching to right-back. Five minutes into the half Banbury almost equalised when David Staff's shot hit the bar, but five minutes later the Us doubled their score. Deering chased a long ball and was pushed in the back as he stormed into the penalty area. The spot kick was probably only awarded because of the vociferous appeals from the United players, but it worked wonders. Cole won the race to pick up the ball, and his penalty was coolly smashed home.

The Oxford supporters among the 369 crowd were still buzzing when the side went 3-0 up. This time Cole was the provider as he surged into the penalty area before beating two defenders and slipping the ball through to Philliskirk, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net. Both sides had further chances to score, with Eastwood making two superb reaction saves to keep a clean sheet, while Cole and substitute Conor McDonagh both shot over from distance for United.

This was a good all-round performance from United, who had clearly been stung into action after their lacklustre performance at Oxford City before the weekend. Particular positives were the performance of new boy Philliskirk and his fellow ex-Blue Sawyer, and the return from injury of both Baker and Clist. That's the pre-season out of the way, now roll on Saturday for the real footy to start…