Banbury Men End The Season Champagne Style
Banbury HC Men’s 1s - 16 Slough HC Men’s 1s - 1
League champions Banbury ended their season at home with an emphatic win against a depleted Slough team and cracked open the champagne to celebrate one of the most successful seasons in the club’s history.
Andrew Scanlon bagged 5 goals and Captain Will Kellett grabbed 4 in the process to the delight the home crowd.
Banbury got the goal tally going early when after 4 minutes the creative Tyson Nunneley found Harry Simons who rounded the Slough defence and struck home a vicious shot to make it 1-0. Just 3 minutes later Andrew Scanlon started a great move with Joe Allen and Josh Nunneley finding Captain Will Kellett who’s tomahawk shot rocketed into the net to make it 2-0. After 10 minutes great work by Sam Chadbourne and George Brooker won Banbury their first penalty corner which Darsh Theara converted with a low drag flick to make it 3-0. Slough came back at Banbury and man of the match Pete Lamb and Sam Pick had to work hard in defence to maintain the lead with keeper Kit Lamb also having to make a vital save with a diving stick clearance. Then on the 20 minute mark Tyson Nunneley made it 4-0 with a great move up the right wing inter passing with Joe Allen and Connor Roberts. Roberts carved through the defence and slipped the ball back to Nunneley who hammered the ball high into the Slough net with a perfect tomahawk shot. Minutes later Kellett won a penalty corner which Scanlon converted with the first of his 5 goals with a hard low drag flick. Scanlon then made it 6-0 with a great solo run through midfield to the top of the D unleashing a thundering tomahawk shot into the top of the Slough goal. Two more goals came before half time with Kellett finishing off a flowing move with Scanlon and Tyson Nunneley to make it 7-0 and Josh Nunneley making it 8-0 on half time with a trademark drag flick off a penalty corner won by Harry Simons.
The second half opened with a searing run by Sam Chadbourne after a perfect pass by Joe Allen winning a penalty corner after 1 minute which Kellett scored after dribbling round the defensive unit and performing a diving slap shot to increase the lead to 9-0. Slough then turned on the pressure and Pete Lamb, Darsh Theara and Sam Pick had to step up to defend a series of attacks. A brilliant solo effort from the Slough centre forward grabbed a goal back for the visitors to make it 9-1. This spurred Banbury back into action with Brooker, Roberts, Jacob Buckner Rowley and Tyson Nunneley tearing through the midfield and creating a series of opportunities and with 20 minutes left Banbury went to town. James Long charged down the left and through the Slough defence to pass perfectly to Sam Chadbourne who made it 10-1 with a deft flick past the Slough keeper. Six more goals followed for the last 15 minutes. Buckner Rowley won another penalty corner which Scanlon converted to make it 11-1 and Tyson Nunneley’s solo run won a penalty flick which man of the match Pete Lamb stepped up to take and made it 12-1 with a low hard flick. The goal of the game was scored by Buckner Rowley who took a pitch long aerial pass from Josh Nunneley down perfectly and volleyed the ball home high into the net to make it 13-1. Captain Kellett made it 14-1 volleying the ball home after Buckner Rowley’s shot was parried by the Slough keeper. The last two goals were grabbed by Scanlon with two perfect drag flicks from penalty corners won by great work by Roberts and Nunneley. The game finished 16-1 to Banbury who celebrated in front of the home crowd in champagne style.
Manager Andy Camp said “We finished the season in style in front of our home support. We finished the season scoring 91 goals and with a goal difference of plus 59. We finished 13 points ahead of the runners up, Marlow, and having won promotion with 4 games to go. A phenomenal achievement. It was a depleted squad from Slough today and they fought hard but we proved why we are clear champions. The squad, the support staff and the club supporters were rewarded today with a big win to leave the South Central Premiership behind and launch us into the national league.”
