1 | ||
2 | 15, 88m | |
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | 16, 80m | |
7 | ||
8 | ||
9 | 14, 75m | |
10 | ||
11 | ||
BENCH | ||
---|---|---|
12 | ||
14 | 9, 75m | |
15 | 2, 88m | |
16 | 6, 80m | |
17 | ||
MANAGEMENT | ||
M |
Striker Stacey Field suffered mixed emotions on his birthday, with his goal giving the Ducks a second half lead only to see a last minute penalty kick saved by his former teammate Alex Tokarczyk and miss out on a point after Hanwell had turned the game around.
It would have been a fair reflection on an even and well contested game, but wasn’t to be, and two moments of quality from the ever-threatening Lewis Putman ultimately won the hosts the game.
Jesse Waites replaced the injured Paul Edgeworth, but the shock news was a first game of the season for long term absentee Jason Blackett, who came through 75 minutes unscathed and gave the team the physical dimension they have missed this season.
The striker exhibited some understandable rustiness in the first five minutes when, after having an early long range effort fly over, he produced a bad miss after a header back into the box gave him a clear sight of goal but he dragged a left footed shot wide.
He remained in the thick of the action and four minutes later met Lee Grace’s cross from the left with a header straight into the grateful arms of Tokarczyk.
Long shots from Steve Hatch and Stacey Field both missed the target as United dominate the first quarter hour, before Hanwell announced their arrival in the match with a goal disallowed in the 17th minute, a deep free kick headed in by Bill Healey, whose celebrations were cut short by the referee penalising him or maybe Putman for hands in the back of their respective marker.
Aylesbury had generally done a good job of keeping the 18-goal partnership of Putman and Healey quiet for the first half, but the two combined just before the half hour mark with the latter’s shot blocked.
It lead to a better spell from the hosts, who forced a number of corners, whilst Lewis Ochoa – who dominated midfield proceedings in the first half – chested the ball and volleyed well over.
A United counter from one of the several Hanwell corners saw Jake Bewley charge down the left flank and cross for Field who headed wide the last meaningful chance of a first half which ended with the worrying sight of Jack Wood receiving treatment after a firm, but fair 50-50 challenge that he came out worst from.
Half-time: Hanwell 0-0 Aylesbury
Both sides showed renewed attacking intent straight after the interval, with Putman getting away down the left early on but his low ball towards Healey was cleared with a well-timed Bewley challenge.
At the other end Field got to the byeline on the left before finding Waites with a square ball, but the arriving winger couldn’t test Tokarczyk in the manner he would have liked and it was a routine save for the recent signing from Arlesey Town.
Putman was ominously becoming an increasing influence, and when he was found 35-yards from goal he wasn’t closed down quickly enough but dragged a fizzing shot just wide of the target.
That was soon forgotten though, when Field gave Aylesbury the lead just short of the hour. Hatch’s shot after Shane Wood’s long throw had fallen for him was parried by Tokarczyk straight into the path of Stacey Field, and the birthday boy accepted the gift unerringly. 1-0 Aylesbury
Unlike the last three Aylesbury had been involved in, this was never going to be a game decided by a solitary goal, and the Geordies quickly set about looking for an equaliser with Michael Buckley hooking an effort over the bar, and a Chris Mills free kick struck straight at Sillitoe.
When the leveller soon arrived, it came as little surprise, and even less surprising was the source of the goal. The unfortunate Jack Wood slipped, like so many of his colleagues before him on the greasy surface, at the crucial moment allowing Putman the inch of room he needed to swivel and fire home in one slick movement after Connor Duffy’s right wing cross found him. 1-1
The game was now an end-to-end affair, and it was Aylesbury’s turn to have a goal disallowed when the referee applied consistency in penalising Jason Blackett for climbing on his man when heading Grace’s cross into the net. Grace himself then saw a header plucked out of the air.
It was the hosts who edged in front when Putman turned provider this time. Collecting the ball on the half way line, he strode down the left flank before delivering a peach of a cross that was met with an exquisite Healey header; guided away from Sillitoe and into the far side of the net. A quite superb goal. 2-1 Hanwell
Putman had been subdued for a large part of the match, but he was now threatening to run amok as he ran through in the 74th minute and saw a low drive tipped away well by Sillitoe.
Three minutes later he was at it again, twisting and turning in his favoured ‘inside left’ position before whipping in a low delivery which two arriving Hanwell players just failed to connect with.
Aylesbury weren’t a spent force yet though, and when substitute Joey Acheampong levered the ball down for Waites he might have done better than shooting over from the edge of the box, whilst a near post header from Grace flashed just wide.
The Ducks were then handed a controversial lifeline when, in the 86th minute, Field received the ball in the box and turned towards goal preparing for a shot, only for the ball to be blocked by a covering defender – the near sided linesman flagging wildly to signal handball, and United had a very debatable penalty.
Once the protests had died down, and Tokarczyk and Mills were booked for their claims, up stepped Field, and the home keeper, who was a hero in green and white last season with a number of penalty saves, was the villain as he saved what was in reality a tame attempt.
The rebound was twice fired goalwards in the ensuing melee, but Hanwell hung on, and even called upon Sillitoe to make another save in stoppage time when Ochoa’s effort was turned wide.
Not the result Aylesbury wanted, but unlike against AFC Hayes, enough positives to take with another away game quickly on the horizon, the Ducks next visiting Bedworth United.
Hanwell Town
Aylesbury United
Barton Rovers
Rugby Town
Bedford Town
Kettering Town
Chalfont St. Peter
Potters Bar Town
Egham Town
Royston Town
Leighton Town
AFC Hayes
Marlow
North Greenford United
Northwood
Godalming Town
St Ives Town
Bedworth United
Uxbridge
Beaconsfield SYCOB