United retained the Buckingham Senior Cup, their fifth win in six seasons, but they were made to work hard all the way by South Midlands League Division One side Buckingham Athletic who can consider themselves unfortunate not to have won in 90 minutes before eventually losing out to their higher level opponents in extra time.

Buckingham Athletic were on top in the opening twenty minutes and looked much more likely to score than Banbury. However, it would be at this point, against the run of play, that United took the lead when a cross from the right by Kynan Isaac went through to Marcus Green at the back post who fired the ball back across the goalkeeper from around eight yards into the back of the net.

Buckingham continued to have the better of the game as the half developed but they were unable to find a way through, missing some decent chances so at half time the score remained 1-0 to Banbury.

On 58 minutes Athletic would get a deserved equaliser when a corner from the left was pumped into a packed penalty area with the ball eventually falling to Adam Bone who poked the ball home at the far post.

However, United would restore their lead just six minutes later when Isaac ran after a long ball down the right, controlled it well before cutting inside and hitting a glorious shot from just inside the penalty area which had the power to beat the Athletic goalkeeper at his near post.

This was the start of a very good spell for Banbury. Three minutes later Carl Tappin ran down the left and crossed into the centre where Marcus Green coming in had a good chance but he shot just wide. Two minutes further on and Green crossed low from the right into the centre but with so much pace on it Tappin’s connection from six yards sailed over the bar.

United were to rue these two missed chances as in the 83rd minute a scramble in the Banbury penalty area ended with Josh Hooper heading an attempted clearance home from six yards to make it 2-2.

Athletic then had a glorious chance to win the game in the last minute of normal time when Adam Kelly was through one-on-one with Scott Dutton in the Banbury goal but somehow he managed to put his effort wide.

Seven minutes into the first period of extra time and it looked as though the Cup was going to reside in Buckingham for a season as Athletic took the lead for the first time in the game. Dutton did well to save a shot from an Athletic player but the ball came out to Glen Hawkins on the edge of the penalty area who then lobbed it back over the custodian.

However, United fought back to level three minutes before the extra time interval when Tappin on a run down the right passed inside to Isaac who then drove the ball home from edge of the penalty area for his second spectacular goal of the game.

Into the second period of extra time and in the 112th minute a Conor Collins free-kick on the edge of the Athletic penalty area went just wide but United did not have long to wait to be in front once more as just a minute later an Isaac cross from the left was met with precision from 10 yards by the head of the incoming Marvin Martin with the ball going wide of the goalkeeper and nestling in the back of the net.

Banbury had not finished though and a minute from time Isaac was brought down inside the penalty area on the right hand side. When protests and the commotion had died down Tanasheh Abrahams converted the spot-kick low to the goalkeeper’s left to make the final score 5-3 to Banbury.

Banbury United: Scott Dutton, Luke Cray, Melanius Mullarkey, Kynan Isaac, Tanasheh Abrahams, Tom Fishwick, Anthony Obeng (Lewis Strafford 114), Marvin Martin, Anderson Pinto (Conor Collins 82), Marcus Green, Adeyinka Talabi (Carl Tappin 56). Subs (not used): None

Attendance: 250