Haig Avenue laid host to an exciting National League North encounter as Banbury United
defeated Southport 1-0 in front of 996 fans.
The singular goal occurred as Ken Charles made no mistake from 12-yards, successfully converting a spot-kick in the 78th minute after Emmanuel Maja-Awesu was tripped inside the area.
The hosts could not believe they weren’t heading into the interval ahead, as Niall Watson squandered a golden opportunity to break the deadlock on the stroke of half-time.
The feeling of misfortune was a common emotion, as Temitope Obadeyi watched his glancing header strike both posts before being cleared away at the other end.
A low-cross from the right fell to the feet of Watson, who sat the ‘keeper down and was only left to hit the ball home and put his side in-front. He hesitated though, and failed to make complete contact with the ball a yard from the line. He flung a leg at the ball, but could only roll it into the palms of the relieved Jack Harding in the Banbury net.
At the other end, Louis Hall stood a tempting ball into the danger zone, where the striker
glanced a header goalward, evading the outstretched arms of Chris Renshaw in the
Sandgrounders’ net. It crashed against the inside of the post, rolling across the goal-line
slowly until it rebounded off the other side of the woodwork, before being cleared away.
36’ – POST TWICE – Temitope Obadeyi was inches away from an opener. He glanced a header goalward that evaded the keeper’s reach. It rebounded off both posts before being cleared away!#SOUBAN
— MerseySportLive (@merseysportlive) October 28, 2023
In the seventh minute of injury time, Jack Harding made an excellent save from Blackpool-loanee, Brad Holmes’ close-range effort. The forward broke free in the area, but was denied by the thigh of the shot-stopper who made himself big in the United net.
90+7’ – CHANCE! – Harding to the rescue as he saved a late, late effort from Holmes to secure all three points.
The forward broke free in the area, but was denied by the shotstopper who made himself big in the Banbury net.#SOUBAN
— MerseySportLive (@merseysportlive) October 28, 2023
The result moves Banbury to tenth, with the Sandgrounders slipping to 20th place. Despite the result, Jim Bentley might be buoyed by a solid performance as Port battled hard throughout the scrappy first half, and created a host of chances. They just lacked composure in front of goal on a chilly Saturday afternoon on Merseyside.
