A supreme defensive performance complimented by two moments of skill clinched an important away win for Aylesbury as they won 2-0 at in-form Hadley.
The Potters Bar-based outfit were on a five-match unbeaten streak and although their dangerous attacking players – including Dom Petrucci who had netted 7 times in his last 4 outings – threatened, they couldn’t break down United’s backline, superbly marshalled by the indomitable John Mulholland.
With no wingers available, Tony Joyce opted to play a 3-5-2 wingback system, something Aylesbury have dabbled with in the past usually with no great success.
On this occasion it worked for the Ducks though, as they made their extra man in the middle pay dividends whilst utilising the marauding runs of Daniel Jones and the excellent, tireless Sam Slatter.
In addition to Slatter, there were also recalls for Warren Garcia – his first start since returning from Aylesbury FC – and Tom Barnett with neither showed any ill effects of their absences from the team. Paul Edgeworth (broken nose), Lewis Hallford (departed for Elgin City) and Marcus Sawyer were the players replaced.
The Ducks started brightly, playing some good early on and threatened in the first minute when a dinked pass by Barnett was close to causing an own goal, Russell Garland coming off his line able to catch his defender’s misplaced backwards header.
Mulholland volleyed high over the bar, before a Jones free-kick from 25-yards unluckily struck the foot of the post in the bottom left corner.
Garland was able to routinely handle a Stacey Field shot after he had cut inside and gone for goal having latched on to Joey Acheampong’s flick from Mulholland’s long ball.
Hadley took a while to settle, but once they did their frontline - comprising a number of former St. Albans City fringe players – began causing problems. A ball over the top on 18 minutes released Ben Luck but his attempted early half-volley was fired well wide.
Nine minutes later and Petrucci brushed off the challenge of Joe Donaldson to reach the byeline where he cut the ball back beyond Jack Sillitoe for Luck to shoot at the open goal, only for Slatter to make a superb block where he also did excellently not to handle Luck’s fierce shot on the line.
Petrucci’s good work in the first half went to waste again when he got in a fine cross from the left, which was volleyed wide at the far post, and, three minutes from the interval, Luck misfired again having drifted in from the right but shooting high and wide.
Having had a quiet period, Aylesbury ended the first half on top once more and a Donaldson effort at a corner kick was hooked wide, whilst Slatter miscued badly having got on the end of Jones’ cross.
On the stroke of half-time Garland was called to make his first serious save when Garcia sprayed a neat diagonal pass into Field’s path who ran on before curling an effort goalwards, only for Garland to tip the ball over at full stretch.
It marked the end to a satisfying enough opening period, although the home side could claim the upper hand on the quality of chances created.
Half-time: Hadley 0-0 Aylesbury United
Though Aylesbury started the half well again, they only had an ambitious effort from Garcia fly well wide to show for their efforts, and Hadley were soon on the attack. A free-kick was slipped into Petrucci inside the box who drew a good low save from the legs of Sillitoe, the ball spinning wide for a corner kick which was turned wide by Ben Luck at the near post.
A couple more half chances for the Ducks followed with Garcia seeing a low drive blocked after the ball was played back into the box, and Jones lashing a half-volley well wide when the ball fell nicely for him.
The opening goal arrived midway through the half through Acheampong, who had a much better second half after an average at best first period. Running at the defence he played a slick one-two with Field to burst into the box and slot the ball past Garland. 1-0 Aylesbury
It was just the moment of quality Aylesbury had been looking for, and with the goal advantage they were able to defend solidly for a spell with Mulholland’s head apparently attracting every ball to it, whilst Wood and Donaldson did well alongside him taking out anything posing a threat.
Rob Quattromini tried his luck with a long ranger from the left, but it takes a better effort to beat Sillitoe, and as the time ticked by Hadley began to grow frustrated and petulant. This was characterised by a flamboyant display of dissent from Petrucci which saw him throw the ball to the ground for which he was surprisingly only warned.
It was hard to believe the striker had actually been awarded a free-kick – he felt the advantage should have been played – but it was understandable when the delivery went straight to Mulholland’s clearing head yet again.
A truly awful Petrucci free-kick in the last five minutes marked the end of Hadley as an attacking threat and in stoppage time United capped their display with a second goal which truly was special.
Picking up the ball just inside the Hadley half, Field spotted Garland well off his line, and clean lobbed him with a fantastic dipping shot from a full 50-yards to wrap up ‘goal of the season’ early. 2-0 Aylesbury
Goals like that come about as often as Aylesbury games on 29th February (this being just the third played on the date), and it was a fitting end to an excellent performance which sees the Ducks move up to 6th in the table.
