Report by Jools Thomas

On a day when FC sponsored the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity, the team extended this generosity to their visitors from Kings Langley. Granted, a swirling wind played its part but a lack of cohesion and neglectful defending gave the away side a deserved a 3-0 half time lead and that was the match over as a contest.

Whether it was the right decision to play into the wind in the first half was correct or not, we will never know but warnings from home supporters to ‘play it along the ground’ were not heeded as FC, playing in a fetching pink strip, struggled to adapt straight from the off. Mitchell Weiss had the first effort on goal, a snapshot after a couple of minutes which James Weatherill turned round a post. Weiss had the next chance as he broke through the FC lines before releasing a shot which Weatherill gathered with a save for the cameras.

FC had their best chance of the 1st half on ten minutes. A cracking through ball found Gareth Price and his low strike was well saved by away keeper Ant Ladyman. Still the majority of possession belonged to Kings Langley. Stuart Deaton was unlucky with a header that was blocked on the line before being cleared to safety. On a rare FC foray James Dobson struck a decent shot from distance which just sailed wide.

Up the other end Weatherill had to rush from goal to prevent Weiss a clear run but the away team opened the scoring with their next move on 22 minutes. Jack Stevens found space on the right hand side and as Weatherill advanced, the midfielder guided the ball under the keeper and into an empty net. One nil quickly become two when in the next attack a ball played into the box was met by Steve Ward whose looping header beat defenders and keeper ending up in the top right hand corner of the net.

Ryan O’Toole had a glorious chance to pull a goal back on 37 minutes however he appeared unsighted when all that was required was a straight forward header to either side of the keeper, he miscued his attempt sending the ball diagonally wide and away from the net. FC were made to pay for this mistake. A seemingly lost cause ball was chased down the left by Kings Langley before being delivered into the box where a gleeful Weiss was on hand to sweep it past a stunned Weatherill.

Ironically the wind had died down a little as the second half kicked off but this is not to take anything away from Kings Langley as they searched for more goals with both Jack Stevens and Lorenzo Ferrari unlucky not to extend their side’s lead. Grant Fryer had Aylesbury’s best chance of the half thus far with a firm strike that Ladyman did well to turn round a post.

Several substitutions were made by FC with 20 minutes remaining most notably the introduction of Davis Haule whose combative style and constant barking of orders were a great example to his teammates of how the game should be played. Davis’ influence allowed a few more chances for the home team. Kyle Anthony was unlucky with a floated header, Kieron Schmidt saw a speculative shot fly just over and Davis himself saw a glancing header placed the wrong side of the post. If the truth be told however, it was a case of too little too late and not long after Ryan O’Toole headed just over, the referee put FC out of their misery by bringing down the curtain on a sorry afternoon.