SOUTHERN PREMIER SAT 12TH JANUARY 2008, 3PM KO

Banbury United 1 Cirencester Town 0

It was no consolation to be told by everyone after the game that we were by far the better team, that we'd be sure to still be in the Prem come season end, and 'that 9 of yours is the best forward we've seen this year'. We lost this one and the Centurions have only themselves to blame.

But, The Puritans do have their Youth Team 'keeper Joe Murrell to thank for their win. The youngster, replacing the injured Wheeler, made four blinding saves to keep Ciren out in a second half that the visitors dominated, despite having Harry Etheridge sent off after 49 minutes.

On a soggy, greasy pitch, for which the Puritans staff must be congratulated for getting the game on after heavy rain, Scott Griffin set Michael Jackson up with a superb lay-off when he made himself first and controlled a free kick on his chest on 2 minutes. From the edge of the box and with a clear sight of goal, Jacko fired the chance wide with the Puritans defence in disarray.

After Matt Bulman made an amazing reaction tip over after the ball reared up off a divot, on 4 minutes, it was Ciren who made the majority of the chances in a game that was end to end. And, this being Banbury, was also traditionally 'competitive'.

Our Robert was incensed when, right in front of him, Shax tumbled Tom Kinch on the touchline and was carded. Sure, the lad went down but Robert saw Shax win the ball and then Kinch go down.

Closer to the action than the ref but, unfortunately, not the one with the whistle Robert then failed to persuade the lino, who was even closer, to tell the ref what had actually happened. Sure enough, the ref did what the crowd told him to do!

With an Andy Baird miscued header off a corner and then Dan Wallington confidently clearing when Bully forced the nippy Gordon to go wide when he had zipped into space up the Ciren left, Banbury were kept at bay.

But not so much that Baird could not do his party pieces and he wellied Jacko late and from the back, and slowed him considerably, on 12 minutes

A confident and slick Ciren started to control their passes and swept forward, with Griffin immense in controlling the balls up to him and forcing the mountainous Milner to foul him repeatedly. The lummock was close to a red when he did Griff very late and big time from the back but, that early in the game, the ref was kind.

It was not his first misjudgment and it smelled just a wee bit of 'homer' ref to me. But, you just have to work with that in footy. And you have to take your chances. Baird dumped Shax, big time, out on the right and Chappo lined up the free. In it came, aimed for the corner of the near-side 6 yard box.

Paul Cochlin had timed his run and was clear to connect. It was zooming for the top corner until Murrell batted it away. Great block. It fell to Griff and twisting, he fired just wide. Unlucky - but encouraging reaction from our icon. He'd thought and moved quicker than anybody else. And was beginning to dominate the Banbury back line.

Griffin, off a superb Alex Stanley pass, was into space on the left of the box to turn Milner and force Murrell to an arching, tip-over save. It was a great stop and the lad was growing in confidence. Jackson, again set up on the edge of the box by a perceptive Griffin pass after he had bamboozled the defence, was under a bit more defensive pressure and shot too close to Murrell on 32 minutes.

Somehow, Lee Molyneux was an inch off connecting at the far post when Andy Chapman sent in a wicked free kick, beating Murrell and fooling Milner into a miss. It was ominous – we'd made two clear chances and forced three good saves but it was still Even Stevens at the break.

Not surprisingly, H replaced Jacko at the break. Within 10 seconds he'd won a loose ball, but he'd done it with a huge dive-in. And I winced. On a slippery pitch, that was not a good move with a homer ref taking this game.

Within a minute, Griffin had fed Steve Robertson in with a superb reverse pass. Clear, the lanky striker took just one more touch and gave Murrell time to come out and block. It was a golden chance.

On 49 minutes, as the ball went loose on the edge of our box, Harry Etheridge dived in on Baird. Winning the ball but clattering the Puritan as well produced an instant, inevitable handbags riot.

Egged on by a partisan crowd, aware that their team were under the cosh, the referee red carded the youngster. He learned a big lesson. Stay on your feet and contain the player. Don't dive in.

Mr Viveash challenged Banbury by keeping 2 up front and pulling Andy Chapman from the flank into midfield. His team responded magnificently and, in spite of some superficially attractive play in midfield, Banbury had no idea of how to get through the wall created by Lee Molyneux and Paul Cochlin at the back for Ciren.

Working hard to win possession then passing well to keep it, Ciren attacked. Matt Shaxton had shots blocked on 51 and 53 minutes, Robertson was inches off connecting with yet another perceptive through pass from Scott Griffin and Nathan Haisley was unlucky in connecting with a Chapman corner, one of many sent in, but sending his effort narrowly over the top.

On 61 minutes Shaxton drove on, shot from the edge of the box and saw Milner recover enough to block at the second attempt. Sending his panicked clearance up the right, it was a ball to collect by Alex Stanley.

Fatally, he held off and allowed Stuart Bridge to collect and make Milner's panic pass into a threatening counter attack, with Ciren stretched. A quick interchange from Fuller to Scott Bridge up the right saw the former Villa squad player send a perfect cross in for the predatory Nick Gordon to swoop and net neatly first time from 10 yards.

It was a sucker punch and Ciren had defended badly to concede. Admirably, they refused to allow Banbury to take advantage. Still first to the ball in defence, still calmly controlling and passing, Cirencester kept making chances.

The Puritans were reduced to desperate defence and aimless clearances, with Molyneux and Cochlin imperious in their control of the game from the back. Griffin was constantly first to the ball from the passes out from the Ciren defence, working unceasingly to keep the Banbury defence looking behind them.

He again set up Robertson, turning neatly, bewildering Milner with a change of feet, and slotting his partner clean through on 74 minutes. Again, Robertson hesitated, then shot, only for Burrell to get a touch to deflect wide.

Moments later Chapman, put away by a clever reverse pass from Alex Stanley, dropped a lovely cross into the near post and Robertson's header cleared Murrell but drifted beyond the far post.

In a rare counter the lively Gordon got on the end of another Bridges cross but this time his first timer smacked against the post. Ciren continued to attack. Griffin, supplied by accurate, slick, first time passes by Shaxton and Haisley, again outwitted Milner on the edge of the Banbury box and sent Robertson free up the right channel.

Ten yards out and clear, he again delayed fractionally and gave Murrell time to get close enough to deflect the shot wide. The chances mounted up. Cochlin headed over from a corner, as did Haisley moments later.

Chapman freed Griffin with another fine cross with Fuller blocking desperately as the shot roared in. Shaxton, still working hard and keeping the left side of the Banbury defence fully occupied, glided past Baird and then Mark Essex to release Griffin into the box.

Surging beyond Milner, he had an instant of time, chose to go for the left post and somehow Murrell made the same choice to defend and deflected wide off his legs.

Essex was inches off conceding an own goal, deflecting a searching Chapman cross off the head of Nick Stanley on as a third striker with Wallo sacrificed. And then watched as Burrell made a huge, backward leap to push the ball over the bar.

Ciren could not hit the net but it was not for want of trying. It was not frantic pumping the ball up the pitch – it was controlled passing football that was making opening after opening but somehow the end product was not there.

Mr Viveash must have been pleased with the way his team played, and took the game to Banbury. He cannot be happy with the missed chances. They have to be put away if his resurgent team are to reach a position in the League Table that reflects the quality of football they are now producing.

But he must be much encouraged by the fact his team is showing commendable confidence on the ball, bringing it down, passing it accurately and making chances. And, against a team themselves known for being fit and strong on their own mudpatch, he can't fault his lads for their effort.

It takes a lot of guts and belief to keep working when you are down to 10 men. But, if you believe you are fitter than the other player, and you want it more then you make yourself first. Not one Centurion drooped today and they gave every ounce to pull this one out of the pit.

Puritans: Joe Murrell, Lewis Travers, Tom Kinch, Mark Essex, Ben Milner Y22, Ady Fuller (c), Stuart Bridges, Andy Baird, Scott Bridge [Troy Bryan 84], Nick Gordon, Ollie Stanbridge
subs: Sam Ibrahim, Matt Gooderick, Murray Nicholls, Mike Feely

Centurions: Matt Bulman, Dan Wallington [Nick Stanley 84], Alex Stanley, Nathan Haisley, Lee Molyneux (c), Paul Cochlin, Matt Shaxton Y5, Michael Jackson [Harry Etheridge 45 R49], Scott Griffin, Steve Robertson, Andy Chapman
subs: Hanin Romdhane, Jon Else, Adi Viveash

Ref: Mr I Rathbone, Northampton I'm never comfortable when I hear a ref talking to players on one team “OK, Kinchy?” “That was a throw, Ollie” “Not yet, Ady” And on the other side “Offside, 9”, “Your ball, 3”. Either learn the names on both sides or use numbers. Whether a ref is a homer or not, it doesn't help to fan the flames of (my) suspicion.

Having said all that, bar the somewhat considerate yellow card for Milner, I thought he was in the right position and made accurate decisions for much of the game.

Even had a moment of empathy for The Griff, playing Aussie Rules footy, when he actually held the ball, turned, then drop kicked it. It deflected just wide off the keeper. So the ref gave us a corner .... !!

Att: 272 Very disappointing for Banbogle, especially since that was the only game on in the whole district. We brought our usual big contingent, who are getting fed up of never beating the Puritans these days, but who just about do still enjoy their trip to the Cabbage Patch.

MoM: Lots of votes – a bunch for Andy Chapman, a few more for Nathan Haisley who again had a stormer, but the majority of votes went for Scott Griffin. No argument there.

In fact, at the end, I asked a fella I thought I recognised and who was standing at our end for his vote. “Your 9” he says. “Oh, I thought I'd seen you before at Ciren” sez I. “No – I was watching as a neutral. Great match, wrong result. Missed your chances. That 9 is a good player, deserved to be on the winning side”

Could I have been speaking to Inside Right? Nah. This lad wasn't frothing at the mouth. And was far too pleasant. Ho hum. Team Bath Tuesday then The Mangos Saturday before we are at home again. We can get something out of those games.