Report by Dan Legg

Paul Bonham was able to give twenty players game-time, which included a handful of trialists looking to impress the management team as the countdown continues towards the start of the new season on the 3rd August.

The Dynamos made an encouraging start to the game, pressing the Ardley side and creating inroads into the final attacking third. Keith Mupfururirwa had an effort from distance before the Ardley keeper had to make a smart stop from Ryan Tappin’s curling attempt from the edge of the penalty area.The deadlock was broken on 41 minutes as Ryan Tappin quite literally tapped the ball home following some excellent attacking play between Shane Smith and Keith Mupfururirwa.

The lead would last all of four minutes, after a goalkeeping error from Harry James allowed Ardley’s No.8 to capitalise on a loose ball, round the Dynamo’s stopper and fire into the unguarded net.With the game all square at the break the second half saw the Dynamos make multiple changes, nine to be exact, with only Harry James and Dan Wilson playing the full 90 minutes.

The changes certainly gave the side a lot more energy and the tempo of play amplified significantly as a result. Alfie Gaspar was the catalyst for most of the attacking play linking up well with the likes of Lewis Merridan, gifted youngster Taj Khan and lone-striker Alex Woodfine. The Dynamos kept the hosts penned into their own defensive third for long periods of the second half, with Gaspar and Woodfine both having multiple efforts fly wide of the target or saved by the Ardley goalkeeper.

The incessant pressure soon told as on 67 minutes the Dynamos found themselves back in front. Lewis Merridan slipped Alex Woodfine through on goal, the big man showed great feet and composure to round the goalkeeper and selflessly pass the ball across the penalty area for Alfie Gaspar to score his second pre-season goal from a few yards out. The hosts looked to restore parity with a long-range effort which Harry James got a strong palm on to tip over the crossbar, before Dan Wilson blocked a goal bound shot from the resulting corner. Abu Khan could have added a third for the visitors late on but his low drive at close quarters was saved emphatically by the Ardley goalkeeper.

Another impressive victory from this promising group of players, who appear to be becoming more comfortable as the games go by.

First Half XI - Harry James, Sean Barker, Tom Cranmer, Dan Wilson, Dan McAteer, Archie Clarke, Jacob Troughton-Smith, Shane Smith, Jake Dell, Ryan Tappin, Keith Mupfururirwa

Second Half XI - Harry James, Joe Fitzgerald, Dan Wilson, Roy Byron, Dan Ball, Lewis Merridan, Alfi Touceda, Taj Khan, Alfie Gasper, Abu Khan, Alex Woodfine

Next Up – Risborough Rangers (A) – 23rd July, 19:45 K.O.