Isn't it funny how sometimes, even the dullest of games can produce a number of goals? Tonight's game was certainly an example. A match that hardly captured the imagination of the masses still turned in four goals for the records.
Aylesbury found it hard to create many clear cut opportunities against their very negative opposition. Perhaps this is now a common gameplan for those visiting Buckingham Road, as it has seemed to be the way of the last three visitors. In fact, by my reckoning, the home side were restricted to five efforts on goal (of which two went in!) Hitchin's mix of offside trap and hit and hope balls did the job they required, and they went home with a point.
The match then, and Steve Cordery was once again forced to make changes. Phil Dicker started his first league game in two months, as a replacement for the latest injury victim, Steve McGrath. Richard Gell was in midfield in place of Dwayne Plummer. With the reserves also in action, the bench was unfilled.
The match started with Hitchin making the early exchanges. Following a corner Ian Scott found space to half-volley the ball over the bar. Matt Nolan found some more space soon after, but his shot was easily held by Lee Worgan.
Aylesbury's best attacking movement of the first half hour saw Joe Baker nearly race onto a Craig Maskell through ball. Nearly was as good as it got for most of the half.
A superb agile volley from Wayne Mills was equally superbly tipped wide by Worgan. Mills then forced Worgan into a flying block at close range. The same player then had the chance of the match, as a long ball put him clean through. His finish beat Worgan, but beat the far post as well. If he could finish his chances, Mills would be a hell of a player. He was easily the best on the pitch for the first half.
The Ducks survived a penalty appeal, that was all too similar to Saturday's for most fans liking, before the home side mustered their first effort on goal. Baker typically bursting forward, this time on a run across goal, did well to get a shot away. His left-footed effort was deflected wide.
From the corner, the Ducks won another corner. From this corner, another was won. From this corner Aylesbury took the lead! The ball was swung over from the left, and Richard Gell showed superb technique to deliver a flying volley, that with the help of a deflection, hit the back of the net. 1-0 Aylesbury
1-1
Half-time: Aylesbury 1-1 Hitchin
The second half started with Hitchin on top. A long ball was met by Mills breaking free and his left-footed shot was well wide. Soon after Matt Nolan fancied his chances from distance with an audatious lob from 30-yards. Needless to say Worgan wasn't to be beaten from there, but the effort was off target anyway.
Aylesbury's first effort of the second period came from an Alex Stanley free-kick, which the keeper watched well. Joe Baker then put the Ducks into the lead once more, after 54 minutes. From a free-kick the ball was flicked on by Maskell, and controlled by Baker. After seemingly pushing himself too wide, the winger lashed the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle. 2-1 Aylesbury
As the game wore on, neither side were creating much at all, and the result appeared to be going the way of the Ducks. Chris Bangura replaced the tiring Craig Maskell up front. A weak header from a Hitchin corner was always going wide.
With sixteen minutes to go, Hitchin struck gold and levelled the game once more. Some hesitant defending from Aylesbury allowed substitute Chris Dillon to steal in and hit a sweet half-volley into the net. 2-2
2-2 was how it finished. A Stanley free-kick was the only notable effort of the closing stages for the Ducks. Ryan Wiffin was handed his league debut for the last 8 minutes or so, but the winner didn't come.
Tonight was so often a case of nearly. So often things nearly came off, with some nearly great balls. Once more we just lacked the killer pass, the final ball. Still, I say again, one point is better than no points!
