Banbury United 0-1 Spennymoor Town

Banbury United 0-1 Spennymoor Town

National League North

Saturday 22nd April 2023

Deep into injury-time and with one last corner to be taken before the full-time whistle, Spennymoor’s play-off dreams were dangling perilously in the balance.

Locked at 0-0, the game had all been a bit flat and predictable - and with results elsewhere going against them, picking up just a point wouldn’t have been enough to give the Moors any chance of gate-crashing the top seven on the final day.

It really was now or never time as a second corner in very quick succession was swung into the box in the 95th minute and although Harry Flatters - the big ‘keeper up from the back and trying to be the hero, didn’t get anywhere near the ball, Rob Ramshaw made the perfect connection at the near-post as the ball glanced off him and dropped fortuitously into the net to provoke absolute bedlam and an indescribable adrenaline rush which can only be created through football. There was carnage on the terrace directly behind the goal with the 70 visiting fans who’d been up since the early hours to make the trip, erupting in glee (including a few in fancy dress with it being the last away game) and pure delight from the sidelines as the entire Spennymoor bench surged onto the pitch in one big huddle to celebrate what could yet prove to be such a massive goal.

The adrenaline felt by everyone connected to STFC in that moment will both inspire and fire up the Moors’ players ahead of next week’s must-win showdown with Farsley Celtic who themselves will rock up at Brewery Field knowing they need to get a result to guarantee safety at the other end of the table. 

And even if Spennymoor do come out on top, they’ll still need a lot of favourable results elsewhere to get in the top seven - but in the here and now, what a feeling and what a moment to keep the Play-Off hopes alive for a little while longer!

The winner was actually really harsh on Banbury because they’d done a good job of keeping Spennymoor at bay and limiting them to extremely little in the way of chances, despite the fact the Moors seemed to have more possession and territory.

If Harry Flatters hadn’t pulled off saves just a few minutes apart in the first half when the Puritans carved out clear-cut openings, who knows how things might have panned out instead? And the same could be said in the second half when Ben Radcliffe (more on him below but what a remarkable season he’s had) also forced a save with a shot from distance which was on target.

Spennymoor did look the better team on the overall balance of play. It felt like they had more possession, more territory, but, that said, a lack of a cutting-edge coupled with Banbury defending their box really well - and even that little bit of luck that went against the visitors at times (evidence being Charley Kendall’s downward header late on which hit Glen Taylor and inadvertently ended up in the ‘keeper’s arms), seemed as if it would elude them right up until the dramatic moment when Rob Ramshaw scored.

And the goal was so late in the game that once play did re-start, the referee blew his full-time whistle pretty much immediately.

Despite the frustrating finish from a Banbury perspective, the silver-lining (quickly realised by the ‘Banbury Massive’ behind the goal at the other end) is that results elsewhere today means their spot in the National League North has been confirmed for another year.

Ben Radcliffe needed a bit of consolation at full-time; standing alone for a good 20-30 seconds, shirt pulled up over his head and looking somewhat deflated by what had just happened. He took that winner personally - especially the professional pride aspect of it at not quite managing to keep a clean-sheet when it was within one big downfield boot away from danger of happening, but after such a strong season where he’s earned so many people’s respect (and especially mine this afternoon with how aggressive, confident and committed he was), then he thoroughly deserved the ‘Young Player Of The Season’ award which he won in the post-game presentations.

To see an 18-year-old go into a National League North club and physically handle himself - something so many players coming out of U18s football would struggle to do, grow, develop, get better and consolidate a place in the starting line-up every week to make 40+ starts (thus equating to over 3,500 minutes of game-time) is remarkable. 

He'll know there are things in his own game to get better at (and losing a header in the latter stages - cue a growl in frustration - is something he'll remember) but to put his body on the line several times, more than compete with Reece Kendall (who he was directly up against in this game and who is quite a decent player for this level), show so much confidence and character, have a little bit of craic and banter at times - all whilst having a buzzing and beaming smile on his face because he's enjoying himself are genuinely such phenomenal attributes. It’s infectious. It rubs off on other people. It’s genuinely a good quality to have that is right amongst the best qualities that every good dressing room needs.

Every young footballer needs to go out and get as many appearances in men’s football as they can as early as possible. There’s no point pretending it’s not a ruthless business so the more you get as a young player, the more respect that you will earn, and the stronger your own CV will become - that matters and I’ve got no doubts given everything I saw in this game from Ben Radcliffe (plus little bits I’ve seen before - such as when he scored a 25-yarder against Doncaster Rovers as a youth team captain for Burton Albion last season - something he’ll be glad I’ve mentioned just as much as his goal against Alfreton in midweek), plus from those I’ve spoken to, then he will have a sustained career whether that be at this level, or higher - and it’s because of all those attributes mentioned and his good attitude. I know I’m right, I’ll always back my own judgements when it comes to players (that’s through experience of watching about 1,700 games over the years), and I can tell a mile off a player who can become exactly the sort of leader you need.

I’ve got so much respect for it so keep it up, definitely keep smiling, keep enjoying yourself, keep playing the kind of 50-yard passes to feet which nearly caused so much havoc early in the second half (because that one definitely didn’t go unnoticed either) and rest assured that people who know their football and whose opinion matters will notice all of it.

There were a couple of familiar names on Spennymoor’s bench who didn’t get on in this game who I’d have love to have seen - especially Tom Angell who’ll always battle against those managers who’ll just want to recruit ‘big lads’ and instantly dismiss Tom for being too small - even though he showed enough steel and character in his loan at Bradford Park Avenue earlier this season to prove to people that he shouldn’t ever be underestimated (admirable qualities again - and I know he’ll establish a career through that drive and inner-determination to prove a point). AJ Greaves is someone else who I saw plenty of times when he was at Doncaster Rovers - driving the engine and being the aggressor in midfield; and ironically that’s exactly the kind of qualities DRFC could do with right now as they flounder aimlessly around in League Two in a situation which is probably only going to get worse next season and threaten their EFL status.

On the whole though, another enjoyable day - plenty learned from watching this game (even though I was one of the 99% amongst the crowd who probably believed it was going to peter out into a 0-0 draw) and a very worthwhile trip to sunny Oxfordshire.