1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | ||
18 | ||
6 | 14, 73m | |
7 | ||
8 | ||
9 | ||
10 | ||
11 | 15, 46m | |
BENCH | ||
---|---|---|
12 | ||
14 | 6, 73m | |
15 | 11, 46m | |
16 | ||
MANAGEMENT | ||
M |
After taking their unbeaten run in all competitions to 6 games (5 league, 1 cup) with a 4-2 away league win over 3rd from bottom side Kempston Rovers the previous Saturday, Aylesbury United's hopes of closing the gap on leading duo Corby Town and Berkhamsted were dashed as they were held to a 1-1 home draw by Yaxley in their BetVictor Southern League Division 1 Central clash at The Meadow, Chesham on Saturday.
The Ducks had gone into the game in 4th place in the table, 3 points behind 3rd placed Halesowen Town with 2nd placed Berkhamsted a further 2 points ahead and leaders Corby a further 2 points ahead.
Meanwhile, Yaxley went into the game on the back of a 0-0 home draw with Berkhamsted the previous Saturday which had left them in 13th place, level on points with 14th placed Kidlington (but ahead on goal difference) with 12th placed Bedworth United a point ahead having played a game more than Yaxley.
The first chance came Aylesbury's way in just the 2nd minute when Jake Bewley's cross from the left was headed out by Yaxley defender Ross Watson to Sonny French, who sent his off-target first time right foot shot from 22 yards over bar without troubling Yaxley keeper James Blake.
Then in the 17th minute, Yaxley took the lead when Liam Hook's long aerial ball on the right found John-Paul Duncliffe who took a touch and ran forward towards the byeline before crossing into the middle, where the unmarked Joe Butterworth sent his downward header from 12 years close to the penalty spot into United keeper Jack Hopwood's left hand corner. 1-0 Yaxley
The visitors went close to doubling their lead in the 23rd minute when Frazer Garner's diagonal forward throw in on the left found found Tom Waumsley, who turned before having his left foot shot from 10 yards held at his right hand post by Hopwood.
A chance came Aylesbury's way right at the end of the 27th minute when Ben Seaton's low ball in from the right found Ty Deacon who sent his attempted right foot shot from 6 yards wide of Blake's left hand post.
Yaxley went close in the 29th minute when Butterworth's corner from the left to the far post found Watson, who rose above his marker but sent his header from 6 yards over the bar.
The visitors went close again in the 41st minute when Butterworth won a challenge with French and ran forward on the right of middle before having his right foot shot from the edge of the box tipped over the bar by Hopwood for a corner.
Yaxley went close again in the 42nd minute when Butterworth's corner from the left to the far post found Watson, whose header from 8 yards was cleared off the line by Bewley.
The last chance of the first half came United's way with 31 seconds of normal time left at the end when Bewley fired his left foot shot from 6 yards wide of Blake's right hand angle.
Half-time: Aylesbury 0-1 Yaxley
Aylesbury made a half time substitution with Anthony Ball coming on to replace Melvy N'Somi.
The first chance of the second half came Yaxley's way when Butterworth received the ball on the left and took a touch before squaring infield to Hook, who took a touch and, seeing Hopwood off his line, sent his right foot shot from 40 yards just over the bar.
The Ducks went close just into the 52nd minute when Bewley's low through ball on the left found Ken Feyi who ran into the box and checked before cutting past Watson before having his low right foot shot from 10 yards blocked with his feet by Blake.
Another chance came Aylesbury's way just before the end of the 55th minute when Jack Wood's low ball on the right found Ball who ran on before squaring to his left to French, whose left foot shot from 17 yards took a deflection on its way past Blake's left hand post for a corner.
The hosts went close again in the 57th minute when Deacon's cross from the left found Ball, who got in front of his marker before having his left shot from 8 yards well blocked by Blake.
Another chance came United's way in the 63rd minute when Bewley's corner from the right was dummied by Ball to French, whose cross to the far post was headed back into the middle by Wood to Mark Riddick who fired his right foot shot from 8 yards over the bar.
United's pressure finally told and they equalised in the 65th minute when French picked up a loose ball 40 yards out on the right of middle and made a diagonal run to his left on the edge of the box, beating Dalton Bettles before having his left foot shot from 17 yards saved by Blake. However, the rebound ran to Ball who fired his right foot shot from 12 yards into Hopwood's right hand corner for his 4th goal of the season. 1-1
Aylesbury went close just into the 67th minute when Feyi fired his low right foot angled drive from inside the right of the box wide of Blake's right hand post.
United continued to dominate the second half and they went close again not long after when Deacon's low through ball down the middle found Feyi, whose left foot shot from 20 yards was saved by Blake for a corner.
United had a bit of a let-off just before the end of the 69th minute when a poor clearance by Hopwood ran to Yaxley's Scott Waumsley who ran forward and had his right foot shot from 7 yards saved by Hopwood before the ball was scrambled clear.
Another chance came The Ducks' way in the 71st minute when Deacon ran through on the right before squaring to his left to French, whose first time left foot shot from 12 yards was blocked to his left by Blake before the ball was cleared.
The hosts went close again 24 seconds later (now in the 72nd minute) when Feyi's cross from the right found Deacon, whose header from 10 yards was held at this right hand post by Blake.
Aylesbury made their second change just into the 73rd minute when Lewis Osbourne came on to replace Seaton.
A chance came Yaxley's way in the 81st minute when Sam Bennett ran down the left and beat Jordan Jenkins before squaring to his right to Butterworth on the edge of the box, who took a touch before laying it back to Bennett who sent his first time right foot curling shot from 20 yards over the bar.
Yaxley made their first change just before the end of the 84th minute when Thembelani Nkala came on to replace Scott Waumsley.
United went close again in the 87th minute when Ball's low ball on the right found Feyi who took a touch before laying it back to Ball, who passed infield to Osbourne who fired his right foot shot from 22 yards over the bar.
Then a few seconds into the 90th minute, United went close when Osbourne's ball over the top down the middle saw Watson miss his header to let in French, who ran on before seeing his right foot shot from 17 yards past the advancing Blake but hit the outside of the keeper's left hand post.
Another chance came United's way 51 seconds into added time at the end when Dave O'Connor's low through ball split 2 defenders to find Feyi, who ran on before having his right foot shot from just inside the box saved by Blake.
The last chance of the game came United's way with 4 minutes and 50 seconds of added time gone when Deacon's low ball on the left found Feyi who took a touch before having his right foot shot from 8 yards touched onto his left hand post and out for a corner.
That was literally the last kick of the game as at that instant, the final blast of referee Greg Kornasiewicz's whistle brought the game to an end and left United having to settle for just a point.
It had been the proverbial game of two halves which had seen Ben Williams' side have enough chances in the second half to have won comfortably.
This result plus results elsewhere see Aylesbury drop down a place to 4th, level on points with 3rd placed Welwyn Garden City (but behind on goal difference) with 2nd placed Halesowen Town 2 points ahead.
United's next game is on Saturday when they travel to Halesowen for a 3.00pm kick off.