Report by Dan Legg

In his third game in charge of the first team, manager Paul Bonham shuffled the deck, giving a league debut to Samuel Odusoga at right back, whilst Ty Deacon returned to the Moles following a brief stint at Kempston Rovers.

Following an impeccably observed silence to pay respect to everyone involved in the tragic events at Leicester City earlier on this week, it was the hosts who got the game underway, putting the Moles under pressure straight from kick off. After some patient build-up play the ball found its way to Ryan Towner, who had space to unleash a powerful strike which had Nick Bennion beaten all ends up, the post coming to Aylesbury’s rescue on this occasion.

This early scare kicked the visitors into life – the tireless Carl Tappin intercepted a loose ball in midfield, played an inch perfect through ball to Bruno Brito down the left channel, before the experienced winger teed up Martin Griggs’ who saw his goal bound effort deflected behind for a corner. Brito struck the resulting corner low and hard, travelling through all the bodies in the box, before falling to Griggs who was lurking on the angle of the penalty box, who struck a right footed floated effort over the helpless Liam Gooch into the bottom right hand corner to put the visitors a goal up after just five minutes.

The lead was short lived, however. The Lilywhites responded just six minutes later, a corner towards the front post was not dealt by any man in yellow, and Josh Oyinsan was on hand to tuck the ball home from six yards. Midway through the first half, with the hosts on top, Cambridge City thought they were ahead. Nick Bennion looked to claim the ball from a deep cross, Oyinsan won the ball in the air strongly, flicking it onto Ryan Sharman who converted into an open net. The referee disallowed the goal, adjudging that the FC keeper had been fouled in the build-up.

Moments later – the turning point of the match. Carl Tappin’s long ball was taken down by Ty Deacon in the City box, possibly illegally. As the striker looked to pull the trigger he was dragged down by Jack Wilkinson, who was immediately given his marching orders by the referee. Martin Griggs stepped up and converted the spot-kick to Gooch’s right for his second of the afternoon.

The man disadvantage didn’t seem to faze the hosts though, as again they were soon level. Another corner caused the FC defence all sorts of trouble, with both Derek Feyi and Jordan Jenkins failing to clear the ball away, a melee ensued with the ball falling to Jordan Gent on the goal line who will never score an easier goal in his career.

Half Time – Cambridge City 2 Aylesbury FC 2

The Moles came out of the blocks the quickest in the second half and were soon back in front. Carl Tappin again instrumental in the goal. A ball over the top of the Cambridge City back line saw Ty Deacon clean through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The returning striker celebrated the bonfire weekend with a rocket of his own, dispatching the ball past Gooch to the bottom right.

The Lilywhites were pressuring the FC back line for long periods of the second half, but to no avail. Some important saves from Nick Bennion, and multiple courageous blocks from Jordan Jenkins meant that the Moles returned to Buckinghamshire with all three points, in a game that was played under a particularly heated atmosphere.

Aylesbury FC MOTM – Carl Tappin