Boro run halted by late Banbury goals
Boro's eight-match unbeaten run was ended as Banbury came from behind to snatch a 2-1 win from a competitive top of the table clash down in Oxfordshire.
There was a first Boro start for Sheffield United loanee Hassan Ayari, while injury-hit Banbury had three teenagers, all signed on the eve of the game, on the bench.
The first half was a cagy affair, with few clear chances created.
For the hosts, Josh Smile fired straight at Joe Cracknell, and Alex Babos dinked a shot wide, before Boro's first opening saw Ash Jackson pass to Michael Coulson, who made space to get away his shot, but keeper Jack Harding saved easily.
Banbury had more of the ball, but Boro's defence was solid. Keeper Cracknell gathered a couple of high balls, Jak Hickman shot over, and Henry Landers volleyed wide.
A cross into the home box from Luca Colville was headed clear by Smile, then Banbury countered, and Babos passed to skipper Giorgio Rasulo, but Bailey Gooda blocked his shot, then Dom Tear made a last-ditch tackle to foil Rasulo.
Boro went ahead two minutes before the interval when Coulson battled for possession and laid off to Luca Colville, whose ball into the area was tapped home by Kieran
Weledji from close range.
Banbury fought back in the second half.
A Hickman cross fell to danger man Rasulo who volleyed over, then Rasulo cut back to Babos, whose powerful strike forced a terrific diving save from Cracknell.
Boro appealed for a penalty on 70 minutes when Dan Bramall appeared to be felled in the area, but instead he was booked for simulation, and Banbury drew level three minutes later when Ben Acquaye's great strike from the
edge of the area gave Cracknell no chance.
The game was wide open, and Rasulo shot wide for the hosts, then Ryan Watson, back from his three-game suspension, had a stinging shot well saved by home keeper Harding.
With seven minutes to play Banbury took the lead with a well worked goal, as Callum Reilly's pass was met by substitute Harry Parsons, who slotted neatly past Cracknell.
Boro almost grabbed a late
equaliser when Bailey Gooda, who had a terrific game, was fouled and Lewis Maloney's free-kick came back off the base of the post, as Banbury held on to preserve their unbeaten home record and climb above Boro into second place in the table, while Boro dropped to sixth.
BANBURY UNITED: Harding, Roberts, Brown, Smile, Landers (Parsons 68), Rasulo, Acquaye, Hickman, Radcliffe, Babos, Reilly (Dugmore 87)
BORO: Cracknell, Weledji,
Jackson, Heslop (Plant 86), Thornton, Gooda, Colville, Maloney, Coulson (Watson 67), Tear, Ayari (Bramall 60) REFEREE: Neil Pratt GOALS:BANBURYUNITED: Ben Acquaye 73, Harry Parsons 83
BORO: Kieran Weledji 43 YELLOW CARDS: BANBURY Connor Roberts
BORO: Simon Heslop, Dom Tear, Dan Bramall
BORO MAN OF MATCH: Joe Cracknell
ATTENDANCE : 1,204 (180 away.