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Tuesday 7 December 2004 - Spencer Stadium - kick off 7.45pm Southern League Premier Division 
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| half-time: 0-0 | result: W3-1 | attendance: 179 |
| team: | Perrin, Rollo, Power, Bailey, Jones, Ford (c), Benefield (Coupe 79), Owers (Cleverley 62), Partridge, Williams, Sykes. subs not used: Shuttlewood, Moor, Trought. |
| man of the match: | Scott Partridge |
| scorers: | Williams (59), Benefield (69), Sykes (86) |
| bookings: | none |
| officials: | L Hodgson (Nuneaton), J Archbold (Leamington Spa), M Bingham (Leamington Spa) |
| league position: 13th | form: WLdWLW | next match: Hemel (A) |
Three days after playing in front of over 4000 supporters – including around 500 from Bath - in an FA Cup 2nd Round match, City returned to life in the Southern League with a trip to Banbury United and just 179 paying spectators witnessing the game. Whether it was this comedown that contributed to such a sluggish start to the game by City is debatable but they could have found themselves three goals down in the opening 15 minutes. However, once they had weathered this storm they took control of the game to run out comfortable 3-1 winners and record their first league success since October 8.
Despite their efforts at Peterborough, manager Gary Owers resisted the temptation to tinker with his team so it was the same starting XI that ran out at the Spencer Stadium, although new loan signing Ben Cleverley was handed a spot on the bench. Just seven minutes in Redknap burst through a static City rearguard and it looked a formality to beat an exposed Steve Perrin. Instead his blazed a shot high over the bar which set a trend for the Puritans efforts on goal. A couple of minutes later Blossom repeated the feat and several other decent openings were wasted by the home side. Slowly City began to get a grip on proceedings, tightening up at the back and looking threatening going forward. Scott Partridge should have put them ahead on 23 minutes when Alex Sykes’ cross picked him out but he nodded the ball over. Gary Owers and Sykes then saw long-range efforts fly wide and Steve Jones was denied by a defender after keeper Tricker had spilled a Bobby Ford corner. The keeper redeemed himself eight minutes before the interval with a stunning block from Sykes’ thumping volley. He could do little about the same player’s free-kick right on half-time but the bar came to his rescue.
Having shaken off their FA Cup hangover City continued after the break on top and Partridge and John Williams both forced Tricker into further saves. Ten minutes into the half Owers replaced himself with Cleverley and four minutes later City went ahead. In the end it was a scrappy goal, as Graeme Power’s cross was helped on by Sykes to Williams who stabbed it over the line from close range, but that was somehow fitting given the game as a whole. And nine minutes later another ‘less then classic’ goal doubled City’s advantage. Jimmy Benefield tried his luck from 25-yards and somehow the low effort deceived Tricker and ended up in the net. As if embarrassed by this City gifted United a way back into the game within two minutes. A long ball forward should have been cleared by Sam Bailey but he allowed to it to bounce and with Perrin stranded on the edge of his box, Forinton showed at least one Banbury forward could finish by lobbing the ball into the net. Understandably nervous City were pushed back, although in truth Banbury never looked capable of finding an equaliser. And the nerves were finally settled with four minutes remaining. Sykes collected the ball just outside the area and had time to drill a low shot past Tricker. Williams wasted a great chance to add a fourth goal in stoppage time but it was a potentially difficult game successfully dealt with and City could look forward to catching up on the ground lost in the league whilst they were away on their cup adventures.