1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | 12, 90m | |
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | ||
7 | ||
8 | ||
9 | ||
10 | 15, 74m | |
11 | 14, 90m | |
BENCH | ||
---|---|---|
12 | 3, 90m | |
14 | 11, 90m | |
15 | 10, 74m | |
16 | ||
17 |
1 | 17, 45m | |
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | ||
7 | 16, 53m | |
8 | ||
9 | ||
10 | ||
11 | 12, 53m | |
BENCH | ||
---|---|---|
12 | 11, 53m | |
14 | ||
15 | ||
16 | 7, 53m | |
17 | 1, 45m | |
MANAGEMENT | ||
M |
After getting their Evo-Stik League Southern League Division 1 Central campaign off to a winning start with a 3-1 home win over Kempston Rovers at Chesham on the Saturday, it was ‘after The Lord Mayor’s Show’ for Aylesbury United as their hopes of recording consecutive league wins to start the season for the first time since 1998/99 were dashed as they fell to a 0-4 away defeat by Didcot Town at The GWR Loop Meadow Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Ducks had gone into the trip to Oxfordshire in good spirits after Saturday’s opening day win but on a difficult and bumpy surface, Ben Williams’ side were unable to find their passing rhythm in the first half.
Meanwhile, Didcot went into the game on the back of a 1-2 opening day defeat away to newly promoted Welwyn Garden City after losing last season’s Evo-Stik South and West Division Play-off Final and being moved laterally as part of the reshuffle during the summer.
There was a bizarre start to the evening’s proceedings as the kick off was delayed by some 8 minutes while a hole in one of the goalmouths was filled in after being spotted by one of the match officials in their immediate pre-match checks after the players had come out.
The first chance came United’s way in the 3rd minute when Jake Bewley’s low ball infield from left to middle found Sonny French, who ran to his right before having his low right foot shot from 30 yards held by Didcot keeper Leigh Bedwell.
Didcot’s first chance came in the 5th minute when Sam Barder’s low lay back on the right found Lewis Hayden, whose forward ball found Seth Humphries who ran on into the right of the box before firing his right foot shot from 14 yards well wide of Ducks keeper Jack Hopwood’s left hand post.
Then at the same end a minute later, Matthew Woodley’s free kick from the left found Stuart Cattell who sent his header from 10 yards wide of Hopwood’s left hand post.
Another chance came the hosts’ way in the 11th minute when Woodley’s free kick from the right not far from the corner flag was clawed away past his right hand post by Hopwood for a corner.
Didcot were having all the chances and another one came their way in the 12th minute when Callum McNish fired his right foot shot over the bar.
With all their early pressure, it came as no surprise when Didcot took the lead in the 18th minute when Humphries’ aerial ball forward on the right in between United defenders Jeanmal Prosper and Chris Crook found Felipe Barcelos, who controlled it with his chest and ran forward into the box taking 2 more touches before firing his low right foot shot from 9 yards between Hopwood’s legs and into his right hand corner. 1-0 Didcot
It was 2-0 in the 26th minute when Humphries’s low corner from the right found Barder who took a touch to control before crossing to the far post for captain Adam Learoyd to rise highest above Greg Williams to send his header from 3 yards into Hopwood’s left hand corner. 2-0 Didcot
The hosts went close to adding to their lead in the 31st minute when Barder’s through ball was chased by Humphries who ran into the box before having his shot blocked.
The last chance of the half came Didcot’s way in the 44th minute when a long cross-field ball from the right to left by McNish found Woodley, who ran forward before seeing his cross towards the post go over the bar.
Half-time: Didcot 2-0 Aylesbury
United were forced to make a half time change with sub keeper Archie Davis coming on for his debut to replace the injured Hopwood.
The first serious clear-cut chance of note in the second half came United’s way just into the 53rd minute when Matt Peake-Pijnen’s ball in from the left found Harry Jones who fired his left foot shot from just inside the left hand corner of the box just over the bar.
Just before the end of the 53rd minute, the Ducks made a double change with Max Hercules coming on to replace Sean Coles and Ben Seaton coming on to replace Peake-Pijnen as manager Ben Williams looked for a way of getting his side back into the game.
A half chance came the visitors’ way just into the 60th minute when Hercules’ cross from the right was diverted by Learoyd form just outside the 6 yard box back to Bedwell.
Didcot went close right at the end of the 68th minute when Humphries’ corner from the right found Luke Carnell whose header from 10 yards was well tipped over the bar by Davis for a corner.
The at the other end in the 73rd minute, Ollie Hogg fired his right foot shot high and wide of Bedwell’s left hand post.
Didcot made their first chance in the 74th minute with Ollie Thomas coming on for Humphries before the hosts went close in the 86th minute when Woodley fired a left foot free kick 20 yards on the left over the bar.
The just into the 89th minute, it was 3-0 when Barcelos made a run down the right towards the byeline before crossing for Woodley to fire his first time left foot volley from 15 yards under Davis into his left hand corner. 3-0 Didcot
Didcot made a double change in the 89th minute when Brett Gardner came on to replace Lance Williams and Cameron McNeill came on to replace Woodley.
The hosts went close 3 1/2 minutes into added time at the end when a forward ball from McNeill found Gardner who drove forward on the left before having his right foot shot from 20 yards saved to his right by Davis.
Then with 5 minutes 39 seconds of added time gone, it was 4-0 when Gardner’s cross from the left found the unmarked McNish who sent his looping header from 12 yards over a despairing Davis into his left hand corner. 4-0 Didcot
There was barely time for United to kick off again before the final blast of referee Shaun Barry’s whistle confirmed the Ducks defeat in their first ever Southern League meeting with Didcot.
Although it wasn’t their best performance on a pitch which left something to be desired, the final scoreline was perhaps a little harsh on Ben Williams’ side who will need to be on top of their game for the potentially tricky trip to Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division side Crawley Green in the Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round on Saturday.