1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 | 16, 53m | |
6 | ||
7 | 17, 71m | |
8 | ||
9 | 15, 64m | |
10 | ||
11 | ||
BENCH | ||
---|---|---|
12 | ||
14 | ||
15 | 9, 64m | |
16 | 5, 53m | |
17 | 7, 71m |
1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | ||
7 | ||
8 | 15, 90m | |
9 | 12, 77m | |
10 | 14, 74m | |
11 | ||
BENCH | ||
---|---|---|
12 | 9, 77m | |
14 | 10, 74m | |
15 | 8, 90m | |
16 | ||
17 | ||
MANAGEMENT | ||
M |
The second match of Paul Batchelor’s caretaker reign of the Ducks saw the visit of Kempston Rovers, a much-improved team to that of last season, which narrowly avoided relegation. New manager Chris Nunn has built a solid team, with a mix of youth and experience which is riding high in the league at this early stage of the season. Batchelor had to change the line up again, with Jordan Jenkins, Herbie Townsend and Ben Seaton dropping out, replaced by Pierce McNamara, Nasha Mukwada and George Joyce, the nephew of former Ducks boss Tony. Jack Wood was able to revert to his more familiar place at the heart of the defence, with Harry Jones deployed in a central attacking role.
The Ducks started well and took the game to the visitors. Good work by Mukwada on the right saw him pull the ball back to Tom McElroy on the edge of the penalty area, but his volley from 20 yards was just over the crossbar.
On the quarter hour, a dangerous cross from the left by Ben Stevens was met by former Leighton Town striker James Hatch, but his header was wide of the far post when he will probably feel that he should have done better.
Following this scare, the Ducks took a hold on the game, dominating the ball and passing it around well without, it must be said, a real goal threat. The closest they came to a goal in the first 30 minutes came when goalkeeper George Rose flapped at a corner and dropped the ball just wide of the goal. From the next attack, Sonny French combined with Jones to set up McElroy 25 yards out, but his powerful shot drifted just wide of the far post.
The visitors took the lead in the 29th minute, when a ball was played in from the left by Emmanuel Dahie which was met by Ben Baker. His initial effort was well saved by Jack Hopwood, but as the ball rebounded off him, he lost the track of the ball, only to see it land at the feet of Baker, who sidefooted home. 1-0 Kempston
Three minutes later and the Ducks had a great chance to equalise; McElroy did very well to win the ball on the goal line and passed into the 6-yard box where Mukwada got ahead of his marker, turned and shot, but his effort was narrowly wide of the far post.
Two minutes later, a long ball through the middle saw Hopwood out of his area to clear, but only as far as Dean Dummett, whose effort on goal from 40 yards was gratefully claimed by a retreating Hopwood.
In the 39th minute the lead was extended. A cross from the right by Jake Kerins was missed by attackers and strikers alike, until it reached Hatch unmarked 12 yards out, who hit a powerful shot into the net. 2-0 Kempston
Half-time: Aylesbury 0-2 Kempston
The first attack of the second half saw Alfie Anderson play a risky crossfield pass to Wood; the skipper was dispossessed by Ben Stevens; his cross was cleared by Jake Bewley to Dahie, but the striker’s effort from 15 yards was straight at Hopwood.
In the 54th minute, Bewley and McElroy combined well down the left, with the latter playing the ball into the penalty area, where it was met by French 15 yards out with his back to goal. He played an overhead ball towards goal, where Jack Moriarty was lurking unmarked 8 yards out, but his header was straight at Rose. Straight down the other end and Baker attacked Bewley on the right, crossing to Dahie 12 yards out, whose first time shot rebounded off the foot of Hopwood’s left-hand post, rebounding back to the striker, but his second effort was well saved by Hopwood.
Just past the hour, Wood took a short free kick to French on half way; he drove forward and hit a shot from 25 yards, which was deflected wide for a corner. As so often with a 2-0 lead, the third goal is often crucial, and this time it was the hosts who extended their lead on 66 minutes. A pass out of defence was intercepted by Harry Stratton, who sprayed it wide to Baker on the right. He advanced into the penalty area and feinted to the right, wrongfooting Dave O’Connor before cutting inside and shooting past Hopwood from 15 yards. 3-0 Kempston
A glimmer of hope came the Ducks way two minutes later, when a ball into the penalty area was blocked, falling to McElroy on the edge of the penalty area; this time his shot was unerring and found the bottom corner of the net for his 5th goal of the season and 3rd in successive games. 1-3
With seven minutes remaining on the clock the Ducks thought they had a second. A Lee Stobbs corner form the right was well met by O’Connor, whose header was fumbled by Rose under pressure from Wood, the keeper falling to the ground as the ball dropped to O’Connor who smashed it into the net. However, much to the disgust of the Ducks faithful, referee Tom Hood saw an infringement and gave a free kick in favour of Rose, disallowing the goal.
The final action of the game saw a fine driving run from Moriarty, culminating in a powerful shot from 25 yards which was narrowly wide of the target.
So, a 3-1 defeat for the second week running, but again a game which if the attacking intent had been matched by better decision making and accuracy the result could have been different. Next up is the visit of Didcot Town on Tuesday evening.