• Matches
• Table

loading...

loading...

Aylesbury United's first ever visit to Evesham United proved to be a miserable one, as they crashed to their second defeat of the season. Danny Nicholls replaced Neil Lazarus with Greg Williams as he attempted to shore up the midfield after the previous Tuesday's shocker at Northwood.

There was nothing shore about United's defending in the opening minutes though, and Evesham could have been ahead after 11 seconds after Rashid was forced to parry Richard Ball's dipping volley away.

United also had a great chance to open the scoring three minutes later, the ball twice being cleared off the line. First from Drew Roberts who had made himself first to the ball, and secondly from Matt Hayward's header from a corner kick.

But three minutes later the home side took the lead. A long ball from the goalkeeper was headed on by Steve Duncan, and ran onto and slotted home by Ball for an easy goal. 1-0 Evesham

The goal was a shock to Aylesbury's system, but they began to see plenty of the ball. Darran Hay hit the wall with a free-kick after Roberts had been fouled just outside the area, before Jermaine Clarke went close at the other end after cutting infield.

Roberts himself struck another free-kick into the wall, although this time Liam Folds followed up but struck his effort wide.

The game then entered a lull, with the sapping conditions not helping as Aylesbury struggled to create an opening. The next chance came five minutes before the break, and really should've have brought about an equaliser. Edgeworth headed Roberts' corner on, and Hay, standing less than 2-yards from goal, contrived to head over the bar.

Daniel Mead went close two minutes later, after Jaggard released him out wide he drove a first time shot which zipped across the face of goal.

Half-time: Evesham 1-0 Aylesbury

Aylesbury continued to dominate possession in the second half, and they went as close as they had come five minutes after the break. Mead curled in a free-kick from the right, which nobody could get a touch to divert in, and goalkeeper Karl Lewis had to be alert to tip the ball away.

Three minutes later and Mead threatened again with a free-kick. His 20-yard curling effort had to be plucked out of the air by Lewis, having been dispatched towards the top corner.

But it was Evesham who scored a second goal against the run of play. The concession of a sloppy free kick didn't help matters, and when the ball was whipped in it skimmed off Hayward's head and into the path of Ball, who had ghosted in completely unattended, and smashed the ball home with vigor. 2-0 Aylesbury

United were still maintaining the bulk of possession, but the chances on offer weren't being taken. Hay hit a half-volleyed effort straight at the keeper - it had the power but not direction. Roberts then had his best attempt of the game, feeding off Darran Hay he turned and fired towards goal drawing a fine save from Lewis.

Five minutes later another great chance came Aylesbury's way. McCafferty fed Roberts down the left flank, and his cross picked out Hay. The powerful striker had time to take a touch, but his finish from 5-yards was lacking and easily gathered by Lewis.

Danny Nicholls then brought on Lazarus for McCafferty as United changed to an attacking formation, but the result was still the same.

Roberts had a left footed effort deflected wide, and second substitute Dean Powles, making his first appearance of the season, also shot well wide from outside the area as United continued to make little progress in front of goal.

With ten minutes remaining Hayward nodded a Roberts free-kick wide at the far post, and Roberts fired over having created an opportunity out of nothing on the end of a long kick downfield.

Evesham had a rare second half chance, Richard Ball missing a clear cut chance to complete his hat-trick and a 3-0 win that would have been somewhat flattering for the hosts.

Aylesbury's miserable afternoon was compounded five minutes from the end when Matt Hayward saw red for getting involved with an opponent when trying to retrieve the ball at a throw-in.

The final effort of the game saw Evesham's captain Leon Blake run through and fire into the side netting, an effort which most of the home fans thought had found the goal.