Aylesbury FC 1 Fleet Town 1

Aylesbury and Fleet Town share the spoils After what can only be described as a flawless ‘Dry January’, the Moles were looking for their first goal and first victory since Brian Haule’s boxing day heroics. Much like FC, the visitors Fleet Town have

Report by Dan Legg

After what can only be described as a flawless ‘Dry January’, the Moles were looking for their first goal and first victory since Brian Haule’s boxing day heroics. Much like FC, the visitors Fleet Town have struggled to find any sort of consistency all season and were yet to taste victory away from home coming into this fixture, making for an exciting match up.

It was the away side that were to have the first opportunity of any real significance. Just two minutes were on the clock when the ball sat up nicely for Ryan Marklew, whose half volley had Ashley Jenkins scrambling in the FC goal but showed composure to gather the fizzing shot.
Manager Davis Haule opted for a mix of youth and experience in his starting XI, with youngster Alfie Touceda getting an opportunity from the get go. His inclusion soon paid off, as just nine minutes into the contest the deadlock was broken. A fine right footed strike from outside of the Fleet box was too powerful and accurate for Liam Beach to have any chance with, and the ball was rifled into the bottom right hand corner.
Fleet looked to respond, soon after following some patient build up play in midfield, Billy Oram received the ball, made a clever turn on a sixpence, but couldn’t keep his shot down as it blazed over the crossbar.

The hosts then had a wonderful chance to put themselves two goals to the good, Alfie Touceda was again at the centre of it all, playing a perfectly weighted through ball to Ty Deacon who broke the offside trap to craft a 1 on 1 opportunity against Beach in the Fleet net, he looked to curl one past the keeper, but Beach got a strong hand to it to parry onto the post.

On the stroke of half time, Billy Oram had a half chance for Fleet to go in honours even at the break, following a miscued clearance from Derek Feyi, however, the shot came from a tight angle and didn’t trouble Jenkins in the FC goal.

Half Time Aylesbury FC 1 Fleet Town 0

A dramatic second period was about to unfold at Haywood Way, with Fleet Town looking to turn the screw and fight back for a first away win of the season. On 55 minutes they almost grabbed at equaliser, Billy Oram was in amongst the play again, he lobbed Ashley Jenkins, but Garry Jones was on hand to rather unorthodoxly scorpion kick the ball off the line, although one for the highlights reel, the ball fell straight into the path of Bradley Wilson, whose rather tame effort was headed away by Jones.

FC had the chance to extend their lead when a poorly hit looping cross from Anthony Ball was misjudged by the Fleet stopper, taken down by Alfie Touceda (he was everywhere), who laid off Brian Haule, but the veteran striker couldn’t convert as Beach redeemed himself with a fine point blank save.

Queue a frenetic ending. Danilo Cadete entered the fray for Fleet Town, and the fleet footed (if you pardon the pun) winger was soon causing the FC defence trouble. The nippy wide man beat FC players with ease, and marauded into the penalty area, fortunately for Aylesbury he also beat Ashley Jenkins’ far post. However, the Moles’ lead wasn’t to last much longer.

For all of his great saves, it was to be a mistake from Ashley Jenkins that would gift the visitors a late equaliser. A Garry Jones back pass looked simple enough to deal with, however, Jenkins unwittingly hit a bobble with his attempted clearance, with the ball falling straight to Fleet striker Bradley Wilson, who composed himself, rounded Jenkins and slotted home into an empty net.

In the dying embers of the match, Aylesbury substitute Davide Pobbe almost netted what would have been a freak winner for FC. A rather vicious ball was played into Liam Beach by his full back, the spritely Davide Pobbe quickly closed down the angles on the goalkeeper, who panicked, and kicked the ball straight at Pobbe, however he was unable to contort his body to put the ball on target, with the ball travelling agonisingly wide of the far post with the goal gaping.

Full Time Aylesbury FC 1 Fleet Town 1

So, it finished all square at Haywood Way, with both sets of fans going away with something to smile about, following a run of poor results for both sides. Aylesbury FC will be back at home this Saturday 10th February as they take on Ashford Town.

MOTM: Alfie Touceda – A superb goal, showed great vision and didn’t stop working hard in midfield all game.
Match Rating: 3/5