| On the day that Aylesbury born Gloucestershire fast bowler Jon Lewis should have made his England debut it was fitting that our two football clubs should meet. However, hope evapourated for the Tigers as they were driven quackers by Crackers, just as it did for the cricketer. Not our day then! |
| Of course, today isn't the first time that the Tigers have faced the Ducks in recent years. Unless you've recently arrived from Mars you'll know that on Saturday March 15th 2003 our FA Trophy dream ended by a defeat of the odd goal in three on a glorious sunny day at Buckingham Road. |
| Since then we've continued to build ourselves up but the team from the back end of Metroland have stuttered and finished dead last in the Ryman League last season after having the financial carpet pulled from under their feet. In a Roy of the Rovers style move, supporter Simon Lacey took the managerial reins after the manager and team beat a hasty retreat from the unambitiously named "Stadium". |
| If Chris Burns ever took a similar course of action at Meadow Park then I'd be more than willing to stand in just like Lacey did although I'm afraid my contacts don't quite stretch as far as Brockworth like the current City gaffer so we'd have to make do with Yvette Kemp on the wing, Mouse and Tigermatty up front, Steve Chase and Adie Hayward in defence and Kev Woodham in goal. Anyone else fancy a game? |
| However, Burns remains in charge and still picks the team so today he made changes from the eleven that contributed to our shameful fourth first round cup exit of the season. Matt Bath returned between the sticks, Marvin Thompson at the back and the Gaffer himself continued in his floating role between midfield and defence. Crucially, Neil Mustoe failed a late fitness test and was omitted from the midfield. |
| One thing that was apparent was how similar this team was to the one that faced the Ducks in that Trophy semi-final almost two years earlier. Just Daryl Addis, Keith Knight and Marvin weren't involved at the time. |
| Aylesbury's team had a very unfamilair feel and without consulting the programme from the time I'd wager that there wasn't one face from 2003 at Meadow Park. Just the names Leon Gutzmore, a striker, who it turned out was a bit of a joke with some of their fans and James Cracknell, who'd apparently signed for Barnet a week earlier seemed familiar to me. |
Just before kick off the Heavens opened in a real contrast to the conditions on the last day that we met. Nice weather for Ducks, you might say.
|
|
|
| Despite Aylesbury having more of the ball it was City who carved out the first real chance of the game when Dave Wilkinson intercepted a ball in midfield before thumping in a half volley from the edge of the box that stung the fingers of Jack Rashid in the away team's goal. Wilko continued his run and almost squeezed the rebound home but the keeper reacted quickly enough to divert his shot behind for a corner. |
| Wilko was in the thick of the action again when he found a good position wide on the right and sent in a zinging cross that Rashid could only get a hand to but it was enough to divert the ball away from Tom Webb's dash into the six yard box as the midfielder ran agonisingly under it. |
| Aylesbury striker Gutzmore earned the first booking of the game when he was beaten be Lee Smith's pace as he skipped past but the Duck man's lunge took out the City player and the referee took out his card. This was quickly followed by a caution for City skipper Neil Griffiths following a clash with the Aylesbury number nine. |
| The Ducks' first real pop at goal almost put them in front when a rasping drive caught Bath unawares and the City keeper did well to avoid carrying the ball over the line. The Aylesbury fans appealed for a goal among random shouts of "wotcha", "sorted" and "geezer". |
| If the previous effort was close then the impressive Cracknell found the target with a superb drive from well outside the box that had Bath stood and watch as it's momentum was interrupted by the positioning of the goalpost. I hate it when Bathy does that because we're all stood there thinking that it's going past the post, singing "How wide do you want the go..... sheeeiiittt". |
| City were still in the game though and a move crafted by Wilko that saw involvememnt from Daryl Addis out wide ended with a shot from Lee Smith that, by his standards, was terrible. The last few games from the popular wing back haven't really stuck in the mind and it's going to take a few big performances from him in the next three months if we're to dig ourselves out of the hole that we're in. Come on Lee, sort it out |
In an effort to combat Aylesbury's superiority Burnsy dropped back from his floating position and moved Marvin Thompson out to the left hand side.
|
|
|
| It was a tale of two strikers, both off par with their reputations when first Jimmy Cox did well to hold the ball up and turn his defender but could only shoot wide, then Gutzmore, with just Bath to beat, hit a woeful shot over. If I was a horse and the Duck's frontman approached me wielding a banjo I wouldn't fear for my ass! |
| With Bathy having more than his fair share of action it was the turn of Rashid in the away goal to pull off a great save to deny a direct shot to the near post from a free kick by Keith Knight. It was a great opprtunistic attempt by the assitant boss as Burnsy looked to be waiting to whip in a cross. |
| However, that may have been the Aylesbury keeper's penultimate action of the game as he had a piece of Dave Wilkinson as the City midfielder bolted through from, erm, midfield. Strangely, even though the keeper brought down Wilko the referee just awarded a goal kick when the keeper should've been red carded for denying City a clear goalscoring opportunity. |
| Drew Roberts, the striker that Jimmy Cox used to be, brought the best out of Bath when he was put in from a wide position but the City keeper was equal to the frontman and made a good block. At the other end Coxy shot wide after creating a chance for himself by pivoting around the defender. |
| The Tigers had their tails up but were always vulnerable on the counter. One such move saw a corner cleared to Lee Smith who was caught dwelling on the ball and attack was turned into defence as Gutzmore forced a save from Matt Bath that needed two attempts to claim. |
| City were looking nervy now and a good defensive header behind by Griff flew far too close to his own post for comfort, but as the clocked ticked down to half time the inevitable happened and the Ducks went in front. |
A crossfield pass from Cracknell was perfectly weighted over Wilko's jump with the kind of precision that Jimmy Cox yearns for in a ball over the top. With Marvin Thompson caught upfield winger Paul Edgeworth had time to control the ball, move into the area and plant an unstoppable shot inches inside the far post but well out of Matt Bath's reach.
|
|
|
| Conceeding a goal at such a time never does any favours and it seemed that luck wasn't on City's side either as their first attack of the second half saw a vociferous appeal for handball turned down flat by the referee. |
| Sensing his game was about to come to a early end Marvin pushed forward and might've scored had he been given a more obtuse view of the goal when he picked up the pieces of a poor Jimmy Cox cross, but keeper Rashid covered his angles well and the City player could only find the side netting. |
| But when things aren't going your way, they don't go your way in spades. The impressive Roberts dribbled his way in from the touchline and picked out strike partner Gutzmore to give him an easy tap in to double the Ducks lead. |
| City needed to change things around although the lack of depth in the squad, we had fourteen players warming up whilst Aylesbury had over twenty, mean't that when the inevitable number three was held up youth teamer Micheal Noakes was his replacement. |
| Another chance went begging when following a short corner to Lee Smith the ball was crossed to the far post where Coxy, unmarked, seemed to lose his footing in the mud when all he had to do was stretch to push the ball home. Rashid scrambled across his goal and denied the City striker. |
| Minutes later and it was all but over for the Tigers when Drew Roberts, a recent signing from Kettering Town easily got behind the City defence and lifted a shot over Bathy's dive to put the visitors three goals to the good. Following the score winger Paul Edgeworth made way for Colin Baker. |
Noakes created a half chance for Wilko but the top scorer couldn't connect before Aylesbury's long term absentee Garry Cook came on for Gutzmore.
|
|
|
| Another chance and another miss followed when following a good run and cross from Addis, the ball was turned behind for a corner which Burnsy nodded down for Cox who directed his shot the wrong side of the post. At the other end Roberts almost bagged his second following another mazy run but this time Bath was equal to his shot. |
| Keith Knight had finally had enough and took a pew whilst youngster Jamie Reid took his place in the midfield mismatch. |
| It was too much for Burnsy who let his frustrations get the better of him and followed one passage of prose at the referee with "Chris Burns, number six". Before the ink had dried the official's pen was out again follwoing a late tackle by Gavin Jaggard on Chris Thompson. |
| Following his recent lenghty lay off, defensive rock Lyndon Tompkins made a welcome return in place of the gaffer for the final ten minutes of the game. Lyndon's suspect fitness will have a major say in whether City are to retain their Premier Division status for next season. |
| Before the welcoming sound of the final whistle came there was time for Rashid to deny Coxy by racing off of his line, Mike Noakes to get a free kick after being kicked in the head and Matt Bath to to pull off a great save to keep the score down to three. |
| However, it was clear to see, even though we'd had several chances that Aylesbury were stronger in every department and they were always going to win this contest. I've no doubt that they'll be either Champions or certainties for the play-offs and I sure as hell am not looking forward to going to Buckingham Road in three weeks time. |
| Solihull on Saturday? Three points are a MUST. |
|
| Tiger Roar Man of the Match - Micheal Noakes |
|
Micheal Noakes
Star Man |
Youth teamer Micheal, who came on and scored the winning goal against Chesham United but hadn't featured much since came on in the second half to provide the one ray of hope from todays disappointing show.
|
|
|
