Truro City 4 Banbury United 1 (By David Shadbolt)

United go down 4-1 at Truro but controversy as United reduced to ten men when leading 1-0 as mistaken identity leads to sending off of Tom Fishwick Banbury soon settled down into the game and after the first ten minutes which was fairly even they began to have the better of proceedings. On 22 minute Josh Shama got on to the end of a long ball and then bustled his way through to the edge of the Truro penalty area but having done well to create the chance he put his shot over the bar. The good spell for United continued and two minutes later Shepherd Murombedzi created a chance down the left but shot just wide from the edge of the penalty area. Truro did respond to this spell of pressure from Banbury and did up their game and really for the first time in the match began to ask some serious questions of the Banbury defence. Banbury always looked dangerous though and in the 40th minute an excellent cross from the right by Jacob Walcott was chested home from close in by Leam Howards to give them a deserved lead. Three minutes later and Truro came close to equalising when a Craig Duff shot smashed against the crossbar. The game’s main talking point occurred in the last seconds of the half when Tom Fishwick was booked for kicking the ball away. To everyone’s amazement the referee then brandished the red card thinking he had been booked earlier when in fact it had been fellow central defender Jack Westbrook. It had been an excellent first half for Banbury and they deserved their lead but they were now required to play the second period with the unjust handicap of a man short. Truro got the boost of an equaliser just four minutes into the half when Craig Duff scored. In the circumstances this was just what United needed to avoid in conceding so early. Truro were now dominant against the ten men and went in front on the hour mark when Callum White brought down a home player in the penalty area with Duff converting the spot-kick. It was now all Truro and in the 70th it was 3-1 when a corner from the left was headed home by Rob Farkins from close-in. The final goal came in the 81st minute, a low cross from the right by Les Afful being knocked home at the far post by Isaac Vassell. Who knows what would have happened if United had played the second half with a full contingent! It was a huge shame we never found out and though the match referee has accepted he is likely to have made a mistake and will cancel the bookings when he has reviewed the video evidence it does not alter the fact that the decision hugely changed the game. On the positive side the first half showing from United against a side now in fifth in place in the table was full of promise with the forward play in particular causing problems for the home side. Truro City: Kyle Moore, Shane White (Jamie Lowry 60), Chris Long, Jake Ash, Rob Farkins, Arran Pugh, Dan Green, Ryan Brett, Barry Hayles, Cody Cooke (Isaac Vassell 64), Craig Duff (Les Afful 70). Subs: Myles James, Mike Searle. Banbury United: Leigh Bedwell, Callum White, David Lynn, Marvin Martin (Carl Tappin 70), Tom Fishwick, Jack Westbrook, Jacob Walcott (Harry White 80) , Aidan Hawtin, Josh Shama, Leam Howards (Luke Cray 46), Shepherd Murombedzi. Subs (not used): Nkosi Mzungwana, Darius Browne. Attendance: 424 http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/banburyunitedfootballclub/news/truro-city-4-banbury-united-1-1304427.html