Report by the North Devon Journal

BIDEFORD’S inability to see out games cost them again as they drew 2-2 with Banbury United in the Evo-Stik League Southern.
The visitors, who sit at the bottom of table, equalised through Leam Howards in the 84th minute to leave Biddy dangling two points above the relegation zone. Kevin Squire and Craig Veal had fired the Robins into a good position but more individual errors left manager Sean Joyce disappointed with the result.

“We should have seen the game off but once again we have been sucker-punched right at the end and it hurts,” said Joyce. “Individual mistakes cost us. Vealy gave the ball away and they punished us on the counter with the equaliser – it’s really disappointing. Every game, individually, someone different from our team has put a foot wrong and it has proved calamitous.”

Bideford led with an attacking frontline of Sean Downing, Graham Mercieca and Ben Wood but in the opening 45 minutes they failed to link up effectively. Looking flat and out of ideas, the home side trailed after 28 minutes when Adeyinka Talabi scored a tap-in and the first half drew to a close with Biddy rarely threatening the visitors’ goal.

In the second half Squire changed the dynamics of Bideford’s attack and was able to bring in Downing, Wood and the advancing Veal with his aerial presence and delicate touches. The hitman flicked on a long ball after 51 minutes and Wood latched on to it and thrashed a volley over the bar as Biddy began to pick up the pace.

Their dominance paid off after 69 minutes as Downing found room at the back stick and chipped in a pin-point delivery for Squire to head home and make it 1-1. Within a minute of the restart Bideford marched forward with another wave of attack and, after a succession of blocked attempts, Veal smashed the ball past Lee Bedwell.

Bideford continued to look comfortable as the game reached its climax, Danny Wring wriggled between two defenders before pulling a shot inches wide. As the final five minutes dawned, however, it was evident any mistake would be gobbled up by a Banbury side hungry for points.

Veal lost the ball in midfield and within two quick passes Howards was slotted in behind the defence and he rounded defender Dan Harrison before finishing neatly past Grant Fisher. Joyce acknowledged the introduction of Squire, when Bideford were trailing 1-0, changed the momentum of the game.

“I led the line with Downing because he’s our top goalscorer and I wanted him involved in the game,” said Joyce. "(Ben) Watson is carrying an injury at the moment but in fairness we needed Squire to come on and change the game. He got us back into a natural shape and gave us more to play off. I have to pay tribute to Kev.”

Bideford (4-3-3): Grant Fisher; Stephen Reed, Matt Villis (Nick Milton 32), Dan Harrison, Ian Sampson; Danny Wring, Richard Groves, Craig Veal; Ben Wood, Sean Downing, Graham Mercieca (Kevin Squire 48) (Olly Barnes 90). Subs not used:Ben Watson, Nick Barker.
Yellow card: Harrison.
Goals: Squire 69, Veal 70.

Banbury United (4-4-2): Lee Bedwell; Marvin Martin, Jack Westbrook, Tom Fishwick, Luke Gray; Jordan Green (Leah Howards 61), Declan Hartigan (Carl Tappin75), Aiden Hawtin, Ben Whitehead; Adeyinka Talabi, Jacob Walcott. Subs not used: Nkosi Mzunguana, Callum White.

http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/Bideford-hurt-Banbury-s-sucker-punch/story-24508466-detail/story.html