After nine previous attempts, Aylesbury United finally secured the first ever league win at The ASM Stadium on a windy and wet afternoon with a deserved 1-0 win against Potters Bar Town.
For the second week running, The Ducks were forced to name a squad with just three on the bench, one of those being returnee Warren Garcia, to face a Potters Bar Town side sitting eight places and eleven points ahead of them in the table. The Scholars came into the game on a run of three wins and two defeats from their last five games. But with those two defeats coming against St Ives Town and Northwood they would have come into the game confident of picking up points against an Aylesbury United team that had drawn one and lost four of their previous five games.
The return of Eoin Casey and Billy Adcock to The ASM Stadium in the Potters Bar starting eleven would also have added to their determination to secure all three points.
Potters Bar certainly started the brighter and dominated the first ten minutes but without creating any real clear cut chances. Greg Williams welcomed Billy Adcock back to Thame with a robust challenge as The Scholars continued to press. However, The Ducks slowly worked their way back into the game and created the first real chance when a snap shot from Shaun Owens needed a flying save from the Potters Bar keeper to keep it out.
The wind was yet again playing a big part in proceedings and nearly led to a goal for United when a Jake Bewley corner was caught by the wind and crashed against the bar before going out for a goal kick. The game was a fairly even affair from then on with neither keeper being seriously tested.
As the first half drew to a close a fine sweeping move from defence saw Jack Wood released on the right and his first time cross was deftly nodded over the stranded keeper by Lewis Osborne for his first league goal to put The Ducks 1-0 ahead. With just two minutes of the first half remaining there was no time for Potters Bar to respond and the teams left the field with United ahead.
With no changes at half time, United took to the field for the second half with the strong wind in their faces knowing they would face a barrage from The Scholars which duly arrived. But with the Ducks central midfield pairing of Greg Williams and Shaun Owens working tirelessly to break up any attacks and the defence standing strong Zaki Oualah in the United goal was rarely troubled. As with the first half, United grew into the game as the second half progressed. Sonny French, playing in a Number 10 role behind Stacey Field began to have more and more influence on the game culminating in a mazy run from his own half to the edge of the Potters Bar box before his shot dribbled past the post.
Two quick substitutions saw Ollie Hogg replace Lewis Osborne and Warren Garcia come on for Luca Seminerio and it was Garcia who nearly made an explosive start with his first touch of the ball when his powerful shot from the edge of the area was only kept out by a superb save by the Potters Bar keeper. As could be expected, the final ten minutes were a nervy affair with the players, management and crowd all sensing the nearness of their first win at home. But there was to be ne disappointment this time as the referee brought the game to a close and all could celebrate a fine win.
The subsequent news of Fleet’s 6-1 defeat at Ware also meant that The Ducks moved up one place to 19th in the table to round off a very pleasing day.
Report courtesy of Steve Baker
