• Matches
• Table

loading...

loading...

Nathan Graham scored his third goal in three games, but ultimately he and Aylesbury had to be satisfied with just the one point after an afternoon at Cecil Street which was to turn controversial.

Firstly, Rothwell were adjudged to have equalised when the linesman ruled the ball had crossed the line, when general consensus suggested the opposite. Then, just before half-time, Chris Marsh was sent sprawling in the area for what looked like a clear penalty, only to be denied by Mr Green.

The Bones could have been ahead after fifty seconds as the tricky Fazel Koriya's shot was turned wide by Tom Vincent, and although it wasn't the best piece of goalkeeping he got the job done. From the short corner the ball was played in and Kevin Byrne headed wide.

That was all forgotten though when United took the lead with another early goal from Graham. Roberts did excellently to bring the ball into the box, cut inside his man and find Graham who was given time and space to pick his spot from 10-yards. 0-1

Rothwell had a half-chance to equalise when Byrne played the ball back to David Glass whose low cross-cum-shot just evaded Shaun Goodall in the area. They their own strong penalty shout moments later when Byrne's ball into the box seemed to be handled by Mark Boyce.

Aylesbury were kept at bay by Rothwell on 17 minutes as Boyce's delivery from the right was met at the far post with a low shot by Marsh, Stuart Dorrill doing well to instinctively save with his feet.

There then followed a couple of long range efforts from either side, Sam Swonnell not closed down at all in midfield and floating an effort over the bar. Robbie Maddox then lashing the ball well over at the other end after the lively Byrne laid the ball back to him.

A controversial equaliser for the home side arrived midway through the first half. Danny Marlow tried his luck from long range and Vincent made a mess of dealing with the ball as it bounced in front of him, stumbling backwards, and, according to the linesman on the nearside, carrying the ball over the line. 1-1

The Ducks nearly found an immediate response when Daniel Mead's early free-kick nearly caught Dorrill out, but he managed to pluck the ball out of the air to his left.

A minute later came another big talking point from the referee. Marsh went on a spellbinding run into the box before being sent sprawling by Martin Flannigan for what looked like a clear penalty, almost identical to that he won against Romulus two days earlier, yet Mr Green took a different view and waved play on.

Marsh lay stricken after the incident with an apparent injury to his lower back, but thankfully for the greens he was able to get to his feet and eventually run off the injury after a long stoppage in play.

The first half ended when Nathan Graham headed a deep free-kick well over the bar in stoppage time.

Half-time: Rothwell 1-1 Aylesbury

After the break the game continued to be evenly balanced. The Bones had the first chance courtesy of Marlow who could only head Sam Maude's cross straight at Vincent when well placed.

Five minutes later United had their first attempt of the second period. Substitute Ross Lafayette headed Butler's deep ball over the stranded goalkeeper, but found no one in place to turn it into the net. The ball eventually came back his way and this time he struck a mis-hit shot which bobbled to Hawkins but he found himself crowded out and couldn't' squeeze the ball home, eventually settling for a corner kick.

Rothwell went close again with a shot out of nothing, Marlow crashing a well struck dipping volley just wide of Vincent's post, and they followed that up when Ali Whiltshire went for goal from outside the box but Vincent was able to comfortably claim despite it taking a slight deflection on its way through.

The pace of the match dropped as the minutes ticked by, for Aylesbury this was the end of marathon run of six games in twelve days and the players were well within their rights to fade a little.

It was the Ducks who had the best chances of grabbing a winner though, and their cause was helped when Bobby White was shown a second yellow card for a mistimed tackle to accompany his first half booking for dissent and was sent off.

Lafayette and Marsh combined well down the right flank on 84 minutes before the latter went for goal with a low effort, but it lacked direction and was straight at the keeper.

Youngster Sam Ward came as close as anyone to netting when, four minutes from time, he got on the end of Lafayette's left wing cross but headed wide from five-yards out.

Then in stoppage time he was a whisker away from making contact with Marsh's superb whipped delivery at a free-kick, but that was the last action of the game and both sides had to be content with a point.