Redditch United 0, Banbury United 0

Redditch needed defensive pair Jordan Jones and Jordan Brown to be at their best to earn a share of the spoils against fellow play-off hopefuls Banbury.

And even then, they were indebted to the visitors for missing a first half open goal just as the Oxfordshire side were beginning to take control of the game.

Redditch had a couple of early chances but failed to test the Banbury keeper apart from a 20-yard Eli Bako effort that flew straight at him.

The chance of the game came on 32 minutes. George Nash’s inch perfect pass sent Callum White into space but after wrong-footing keeper Brad Catlow, he skied his shot over the ope goal from the edge of the area.

A Luke Keen effort across the face of goal was the closest Redditch were to come to troubling keeper Jack Harding who became a spectator in a second half dominated by the visitors.

Just short of the hour they had another excellent chance to open the scoring when Nash sent Connor McDonagh in on goal but this time Catlow denied him with an excellent save.

Zac McEachran then dragged a shot just wide of the Reddicth target with McDonagh putting another effort over the bar.

For Banbury, substitute Martin Asiedu-Ofosu and Nash were pulling the strings but clear chances were kept to a minimum thanks to some impressive defending from Jones and Brown.

But with two minutes to go, the visitors almost grabbed the winner when, from a corner, towering defender Luke Carnell’s header struck a teammate only to roll just the wrong side of the upright.

Reds: Catlow 7, JONES 8, Dhillon 6, Loveridge 6, Brown 8, Culinane-Liburd 6, Angus 7, Ali 7, Keen 7, Bako 7 (Cobourne 63, 6), Johnson 6. Subs (not used): Campbell, Kelly, Byfield.