Boro's play-off dreams shattered by City despite late fightback

Having been in the top seven all season, manager Jono Greening will be gutted at the near miss, but, with five key players injured (Coulson, Colville, McGuckin, Wiles and Heslop), Boro battled right to the last seconds of what has been a memorable and very enjoyable campaign, writes Steve Adamson.

The game, played in front of a bumper 2,700 crowd at The Flamingo Land Stadium, began in a carnival atmosphere and Banbury threatened early, when Henry Landers raced into the area, and was halted by Kieran Burton’s timely tackle, but it was Boro who opened the scoring on 12 minutes, when Lewis Maloney sent over a left-wing corner and Kieran Weledji, playing in a forward role, headed powerfully past keeper Jack Harding.

Both sides looked to push forward, Jay Williams kicking clear a low ball into the box from Ash Jackson, while at the other end Maloney dispossessed Kody Johnson after his surging run took him through on goal.

Banbury drew level in the 22nd minute, when Ben Radcliffe’s low cross from the right, fell to Alex Babos who tapped home from close range.

The visitors played some delightful football, and they went ahead 10 minutes later when captain Giorgio Rasulo passed out to Landers on the right, and his ball into the Boro box was deflected into his own net by Will Thornton.

Boro almost equalised when skipper Ryan Watson headed into a crowded goalmouth, Dom Tear’s shot was blocked, then Weledji had his shot deflected over the bar.

Several crosses were headed clear by Jay Williams and Kelvin Langmead as Boro applied more pressure, then a long-throw from Jackson led to a scramble, with Watson having a fierce shot blocked by Simeon Maye.

A Jackson cross was punched off the head of Burton by keeper Harding and Maloney blazed a shot over, then Tear laid off to Weledji, who fired inches over.

Banbury started the second half brightly, Alex Babos had a shot saved by Joe Cracknell’s legs and the Boro keeper then dived to tip a 20-yard strike from Ben Radcliffe round the post.

Boro’s first attack saw Lewis Maloney drag a shot wide, but the visitors went 3-1 up in the 61st minute with a fabulous goal from Aidan Elliott-Wheeler, who raced down the left, cut inside and curled a right-foot shot inside the far post from 25 yards.

Boro fought back, Jackson headed a Maloney free-kick straight at the keeper, a long-throw from Jackson was headed clear by Williams, and a Jake Charles shot was blocked by Langmead.

Radcliffe burst forward for Banbury, but Thornton’s strong tackle halted his run, then Landers sliced a shot wide. In Boro attacks, Weledji headed goalwards from a Greenfield cross, but Rasulo deflected wide, then on 84 minutes Kieran Glynn glided past two defenders before passing out to Greenfield on the right, and his cross was headed just over by star man Weledji.

The late comeback began when Weledji’s cross into the six-yard box was slammed home by Will Thornton, who had been pushed forward, then came a dramatic stoppage time leveller from dead ball specialist Lewis Maloney, as his 25-yard free-kick in the middle of goal, took a wicked deflection off the five-man wall, wrong-footing keeper Harding, to round off a dramatic, action-packed season.BORO - Cracknell, Burton (Greenfield 61), Jackson, Qualter (Charles 46), Thornton, Gooda, Watson (Hutton 82), Maloney, Tear, Glynn, Weledji.BANBURY UNITED - Harding, Brown, Langmead, Williams, Landers (Roberts 86), Rasulo, Johnson, Radcliffe, Elliott-Wheeler, Maye, Babos.REFEREE - James WestgateGOALS - BORO - Kieran Weledji 12, Will Thornton 88, Lewis Maloney 90.BANBURY UNITED - Alex Babos 23, Will Thornton 33(og), Aidan Elliott-Wheeler 61.YELLOW CARD - BORO - Kieran Glynn.BORO MAN OF MATCH - Kieran Weledji.ATTENDANCE - 2,700 (184 away).