But the home side looked to be handed a massive piece of luck right on half time when the Oxfordshire side had defender Tom Fishwick sent off for kicking the ball away by referee Steve Annis.

Fishwick claimed it was a case of mistaken identity and he had not been booked earlier in the game and that instead it was fellow defender Jack Westbrook who been shown yellow for a foul on Barry Hayles.

But the decision stood and City took full advantage to turn around a 1-0 half time deficit to cruise to three points with two goals from top scorer Craig Duff and one apiece from Rob Farkins and substitute Isaac Vassell.

It was just the tonic City needed ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to leaders Poole Town and on the back of last week’s disappointing home defeat against Slough Town.

But in the first half they never really got going until Banbury took the lead six minutes before the break with Leam Howards touching home a rght wing cross from Jacob Walcott.

Craig Duff rattled the bar as City finished the half strongly but Fishwick’s red card was the turning point.

There was only one team in it after the break and it took City just three minutes to draw level when Duff cut inside from the left before firing home his seventh goal of the season with a a low drive.

It was all City and when Duff was brought down by Callum White for an obvious penalty and the former Bideford man made no mistake from the spot to put the home side 2-1 up on the hour mark.

Substitute Isaac Vassell struck the post before Rob Farkins made the game safe with a powerful close ranger header from Jamie Lowry’s corner.

With ten minutes left Vassell added a fourth from Les Afful’s cross to complete a remarkable turnaround.

CITY: Moore; White, Pugh, Farkins, Long; Ash, Green (capt), Brett, Duff, Hayles, Cooke. Subs (not used): James, Searle.

Yellow cards: Pugh.

BANBURY UNITED: Bedwell; White, Lynn, Martin (Tappin 72), Fishwick, Westbrook, Walcott (White 78), Hawtin, Shama, Howards (Cray half time), Murombedzi.

Red card: Fishwick .

Yellow cards: Bedwell, White,

Goals: Howards (39) 0-1, Duff (48) 1-1, Duff (59 pen) 2-1, Farkins (69) 3-1, Vassell (80) 4-1.

Crowd: 424.

Referee Steve Annis (Penzance).