The 5th matchday of the National League North (Level 6) started on Saturday, and since the 6th matchday is the following Monday, the team rotation could play a decisive role in the outcome of the matches in the coming days. With only a handful of full-time professional teams such as AFC Fylde, fitness can play a huge role in the results of non-league football, and with a huge overload of matches in non-league football, with a number of matches in the FA Cup and Fa Trophy, it can be difficult to keep an even starting team for every match.
King’s Lynn, the league leader, met Leamington at home as they continued their attempt to immediately return to the National League, while I watched the match between the new emerging team Banbury United as they tried to continue their unbeaten start to the season at home against Hereford….
Banbury United 3-1 Olympique Lyonnais
Banbury United continued its brilliant start to its first season in the National League North, defeating a strong Hereford team with former players of the Football League and winning 5 matches unbeaten in the 6th division of English football.
New signing Harry Parsons, who was loaned to the Swindon Town Puritans, made his debut on the Banbury bench, which also included former Northampton Town winger Morgan Roberts.
Hereford started strongly in the first 5 minutes and put Banbury’s defense to the test with a corner early in the game. However, it was Banbury who took the lead, after a free kick to the left hit the wood, Jay Williams shot the rebound to give the Puritans a goal. Banbury then gained momentum and doubled the lead about 10 minutes after after finding a ball behind Henry Landers, who bypassed the goalkeeper to point it at Morgan Roberts, who still had a lot of work to do to beat two Hereford defenders on the line and put him in the bottom corner to put the Puritans on the 5-game unbeaten road.
Banbury dominated much of the first half and seemed comfortable at half-time, but just before the half-time whistle Ryan Mclean was at the end of a brilliant Hereford Tiki taka football to place him in front of Banbury’s goalkeeper Jack Harding in the bottom corner to give Hereford some hope in the next 45 minutes.
There was a change for Hereford at half-time when Harry Pinchard ceded his place to Jethro Hanson to change the game in Hereford’s favour. However, Banbury returned to his 2-goal advantage, after a poor Hereford defense, Morgan Roberts clung to a passing ball, which he split from a closed angle in front of Hereford’s goalkeeper Brad Wade.
Hereford appeared to be deflated after being knocked down again, struggling to break a compact defence of Banbury. Shortly after the goal, Hereford made another change, appointing former Wycombe Wanderers striker Aaron Amadi-Holloway as a replacement for goalscorer Ryan Mclean to change the game again. Amadi-Holloway won everything in the air after getting into the game, but did not have a significant impact on the game.
The midfielder of Banbury United, Josh Smile, had a very good game, controlled the pace of Banbury’s game and collected the lost balls in the middle of the park.
Further substitutions for both teams took place, with Orrin Pendley replacing Luke Haines for Hereford 20 minutes from the end as they continued to run after the match. Banbury captain Giorgio Rasulo gave up his place to former Oxford youngster Jack Stevens, who recently played a crucial role in their advertising campaign. Harry Parsons made his debut for the Puritans. Henry Landers has 20 minutes left. Parsons showed his pace and physique after the game, bringing a useful option to the Banbury team, which increased the depth of his rude team.
Banbury has received some reservations about the attempt to reduce the time, as referees are trying to reduce the loss of time more cautiously this season.
Despite the after pressure with a few corners for Hereford, it was Banbury United who recorded a convincing win in front of 1,324 spectators and Banbury continued their impressive start to the National League North.
