Blues progress in FA Emirates Cup - eventually

In a late finish at Oak Tree Road the Blues finally won through this First Qualifying Round tie against old rivals in Aylesbury United courtesy of a penalty in extra time.

With key players in Jordan Brown and Alex Salmon both missing with injuries sustained in Sunday's first game, Kelvin Bossman and Idris Kamara came in as replacements alongside Allen Bossman and Charlie Samuel in the starting line-up with Isaac Osei-Tutu and Kamaron English both dropping down to the Marlow bench.

Marlow started brightly and when Kelvin Bossman seized onto a through ball in just the second minute they should have taken the earliest of leads but the resultant shot was close enough for Archie Davis to save as he advanced and although a follow-up presented itself via a Devontae Romeo cross Bossman's header this time also was into the hands of the visiting keeper.

However the home support did not have to wait too long for a goal as when a Charlie Samuel shot from outside the box reached the feet of Junaid Bell his quick control and shot on the turn found the back of the net to crown the sort of start the Blues had hoped for.

In what proved to be a much better game than the first at Chesham on Sunday that is how the score ended at the break and we have to wait until 3 minutes after the restart for a shot from Aylesbury's Kierran Lataille to threaten the Marlow goal although ending a couple of yards wide.

A Samuel cross just before the hour found the head of Bossman but a poor header was the outcome so the Blues continued to hold their slender advantage with a Romeo strike just off target and a fine save from Simon Grant maintaining that until the 78th minute when a missed kick from Calum Gallimore in his own area allowed the ball to flash across goal where Max Hercules at the far post turned it in for a somewhat surprising equaliser.

That is how the second period ended although Romeo at one end and a fine save from Grant in time added on were needed to send the game into extra time.

It was the Blues who started this the better and after 7 minutes of this extra period they went ahead with what proved to be the winning score. Osei-Tutu trickery and pace saw him felled in the Duck's box which inevitably lead to a penalty being awarded and Chris Ovended who had started the day on a beach in sunnyTunisia stepped up to send Davis the wrong way and book a place in the second qualifying round for Marlow.

Osei-Tutu was again involved in the 117th minute in setting up a chance for Palmer McCoy which was skied over for around 6 yards and Jack Wood headed wide at the Marlow end in the final minutes to see the scoreline untroubled further and the Blues through to a trip to Kempston Rovers on Saturday week.