BANBURY United went top of the table with a 3-1 win over AFC Fylde in their first Vanarama National League North home game.

The Puritans secured a dream result in front of a four-figure crowd as new signings Ben Radcliffe and Jak Hickman opened their accounts for the club.

Alex Babos scored Banbury’s second goal late in the first half, shortly after Nick Haughton equalised from the penalty spot for the promotion favourites.

It goes without saying that the Puritans are sat in their highest ever position in the football pyramid and if they finish anywhere near the summit they will have had an incredible season.

A crowd of 1,003 squeezed into the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium and the hosts were on fire in the afternoon heat.

The Puritans went ahead after 11 minutes when Jay Williams headed Josh Smile’s cross into the danger area and Radcliffe finished emphatically from close range.

Williams was then the hero at the other end when he made a goal-saving block on the line to deny Joe Rowley, following a mistake by Banbury goalkeeper Jack Harding.

The Fylde dangermen were both involved in the equaliser as Rowley was bundled over in the penalty area and Haughton scored from the spot.

Banbury were back in front just five minutes later, though, with Babos firing a fierce effort from 25 yards that goalkeeper Chris Neal could only help into the net.

The hosts maintained their momentum and Giorgio Rasulo hit the post after the break, before Hickman tapped in Morgan Roberts’ low cross just after the hour mark.

There were no more goals but the drama continued as Fylde were reduced to ten men late on after Jordan Cranston tussled with Jack Stevens and lashed out at the Banbury forward.

Oxford City also enjoyed a winning weekend as they got off the mark in Vanarama National League South.

Josh Ashby’s second-half strike secured a 1-0 victory at St Albans City as the visitors bounced back from last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Eastbourne Borough.

After their horror start on the opening day, City will have been pleased that the first 45 minutes in Hertfordshire was a much more cagey affair.

St Albans were on top early on and Shaun Jeffers headed over after a quarter of an hour, but Ross Jenkins’ side grew into the game.

Klaidi Lolos fired wide for City early in the second half, before Ben Dudzinski fielded an effort by St Albans’ Joe Neal.

Jenkins threw on 17-year-old Gerald Muchchetere for his competitive debut and the youngster almost broke the deadlock when he was released by Zac McEachran, only for goalkeeper Michael Johnson to touch the shot around the post.

The teenager looked bright and played his part in the winner ten minutes from time, setting up Ashby to slam an effort into the corner.

Former City player Kyran Wiltshire saw a chance cleared off the line in the closing stages, but the visitors held on to claim an important three points.