1 | ||
2 | 16, 46m | |
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | 14, 41m | |
7 | ||
8 | ||
9 | ||
10 | 12, 64m | |
11 | ||
BENCH | ||
---|---|---|
12 | 10, 64m | |
14 | 6, 41m | |
15 | ||
16 | 2, 46m | |
MANAGEMENT | ||
M |
1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | 16, 57m | |
7 | 12, 90m | |
8 | ||
9 | ||
10 | ||
11 | 14, 61m | |
BENCH | ||
---|---|---|
12 | 7, 90m | |
14 | 11, 61m | |
15 | ||
16 | 6, 57m | |
17 | ||
MANAGEMENT | ||
M |
After making it safely through to the 1st Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 3-1 Preliminary Round win away to Hellenic League Premier Division side Brimscombe and Thrupp just 48 hours earlier, Aylesbury United took their unbeaten start to the season to 4 games with a 0-0 home draw with Didcot Town in their Bet Victor Southern League Division 1 Central encounter in the August Bank Holiday sunshine at The Meadow on Monday.
United went into the game in 8th place out of 20 in the table as the third of 3 teams all on 4 points after 2 rounds of fixtures with both 6th placed Barton Rovers and 7th placed Corby Town ahead of Ben Williams' side on goal difference.
Meanwhile, Didcot went into the game on the back of a 2-1 FA Cup win at home to Toolstation Western League Premier Division side Roman Glass St George 48 hours earlier, which had followed defeats in both their opening 2 league games to leave them in 17th place as the highest of 4 teams without a point.
Some 0-0 draws are really exciting but sadly for the 151 fans in attendance, this wasn't a classic by any stretch of the imagination.
The boiling hot conditions didn't exactly help matters as the soaring temperatures took their toll on various players.
The first serious clear-cut chance of note came Didcot's way in the 14th minute when George Reid ran through the middle beating 4 men on his way towards the edge of the box and checked before eventually slipping a low through ball to Mark Francis, who had his right foot shot blocked with his legs by advancing Ducks keeper Jack Hopwood.
Didcot went close again right at the end of the 18th minute when Lewis Hayden's chipped ball forward from the left of middle found Francis on the left, who cut in before having his right foot shot from 16 yards well blocked by Hopwood.
A good opportunity came United's way in the 23rd minute when Anthony Ball's long aerial cross-field ball from right to left found the onside Ben Seaton who ran on before checking, beating one man and passing infield to Lewis Osborne. He was crowded out, though and the chance was lost.
The hosts went close in the 28th minute when Greg Williams' great diagonal ball from middle to left found Jake Bewley who took a touch before seeing his driven ball infield find Jacob Hutchinson, whose right foot shot with the outside of his boot from 19 yards was parried to his left by Didcot keeper Piotr Jacucha.
Didcot went close just into the 33rd minute when Cameron McNeill's long ball forward on the left found Francis who took a touch, turned and ran forward before eventually cutting in and firing his right foot shot from 14 yards not far over the bar at the near post.
The Ducks were forced into making their first substitution a few seconds into the 39th minute when Ollie Hogg came on to replace Mark Riddick.
A chance came United's way just before the end of the 43rd minute when Bewley's left foot free kick from 22 yards on the right hit the wall, the ball rebounded to Osborne but his first time right foot shot from 18 yards hit team-mate Ken Feyi and went out for a goal kick.
The last chance of the half came Didcot's way after 3 minutes and 16 seconds of added time when Connor Mattimore's square ball from middle to right found Oliver Thomas, who took a touch and ran forward on the right of middle before cutting in and having his left foot shot from 22 yards held at head height by Hopwood.
Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Didcot
United made a half time substitution with Jordan Jenkins coming on to replace Ball.
The first chance of the second half came United's way in the 52nd minute when Hogg's low cross-field ball from middle to left found Seaton who took a touch before feeding Feyi, whose tame low left foot shot was held at his left hand post by Jacucha.
A chance came Didcot's way in the 54th minute when a break saw Seth Humphries' low through ball on the right of middle find Reid, who ran through before having his right foot shot from 16 yards blocked for a corner by Dave O'Connor, who was injured in the process but was able to continue after treatment.
Didcot made their first change in the 57th minute when Brett Gardner came on to replace Joe Green.
A chance came Aylesbury's way in the 60th minute when Bewley's free kick from the right to the far post was headed back across goal by a Didcot defender to Jack Wood, whose header from 6 yards at Jacucha's left hand post was saved by the Town keeper.
Just 28 seconds later (still in the 60th minute), at the other end, Didcot went close when Thomas' low reverse pass infield from the right found Humphries, who took a touch to switch the ball from his left foot to his right before having his right foot shot from 30 yards superbly tipped past his left hand angle by Hopwood for a corner.
Didcot made their second change in the 61st minute when Mark Bell came on to replace Mattimore before Aylesbury made their final change in the 64th minute when Sonny French came on to replace Osborne.
A chance came Didcot's way in the 73rd minute when Thomas' throw in down the right found Gardner whose hooked right foot shot from 16 yards was held at his left hand post by Hopwood.
A chance came United's way in the 82nd minute when Wood's cross from the right to beyond the far post was headed back in by Seaton to Hogg, whose effort from 6 yards was held by Jacucha.
What would prove to be the last chance of note for either side came United's way just into the 87th minute when Feyi won the ball on the left before sending a low through ball to Hutchinson who took a touch, ran down the line and checked before passing infield to Feyi to leave him in on goal. However, his right foot shot from 12 yards was straight at Jacucha.
Didcot made their final change just before the end of the 90th minute when Josh Pin came on to replace Humphries.
With the 4th Official having indicated there would be a minimum of 3 minutes added time to be played at the end, the final blast of Swindon referee Sam Read's whistle after 3 minutes 13 seconds of added time brought the game to a close leaving both sides with a point apiece.
United might not have won but with having kept a clean sheet for the first 3 league games of the season, it's the first time they have achieved that feat since before the Second World War, if at all.
The Ducks will be hoping to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they travel to Daventry Town in the league on Saturday (kick off 3.00pm).