Newport Pagnell 1 – 1 AVDFC

Phil Granville shuffled the pack again this week, opting for 3 Youth players in the starting 11 with Jake Baldwin, Abu Khan and Jack Elsey all starting. Bruno Brito started up top with Abu and Jake in an attacking front three. Newport Pagnell were flying high in 4th place and The Dynamos knew this was going to be a tough game.

Aylesbury started brightly with Alfie Gaspar forcing an early corner with some great feet. The corner was cleared but landed with Bruno Brito who fired over the bar from 20 yards. On six minutes, Newport Pagnell had a glorious chance. They broke the offside trap and the nippy winger crossed to find 3 Newport Pagnell players, unmarked, in front of goal. Somehow, the attacker managed to miss the open goal and skew his shot inches wide. A real let off for Dynamos.

1Fourteen minutes in and Alfie Gaspar again found room and fired the ball into Ben Gill, he got a shot away but was well blocked before reaching the goal. On seventeen minutes Jack Elsey challenged for the ball but was adjudged to have fouled the NP player…just inside the box…Penalty! James Weatherill dived full stretch to his right and saved the penalty. Great save. The next ten minutes saw The Dynamos looking the most likely to score. Firstly Bruno Brito send Abu Khan through but the keeper saved and moments later the roles were reversed as Abu Khan set up Bruno but his shot whistled over the bar.

On twenty seven minutes Aylesbury had the breakthrough, a free kick from Bruno Brito was partially cleared, but Alfie Gaspar picked up the loose ball and swung in a cross. NP headed clear but Ben Gill was on hand to volley an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box, over the keeper and in. 1-0 to The Dynamos.

Two minutes later and the away side were awarded a penalty as Alfie Gaspar again causing problems was chopped down. Bruno Brito stepped forward but the keeper saved onto the post and cleared. Newport Pagnell had a couple of chances in the next few minutes missing one shot and Roy Byron making a great challenge to thwart the next attack.

Just before the break and a great run from Abu Khan won a free kick within range. Ben Gill hit a low shot which struck the wall and was cleared.
On the stoke of half time, Jack Elsey gave away a foul and received a yellow card for it. Looked worse than it was.

HALF TIME Newport Pagnell 0-1 Dynamos

Within three minutes of the restart Bruno Brito picked out Alfie Gaspar on the edge of the area but he couldn’t get a shot away.
On fifty two minutes minutes and NP had another penalty. This time Derek Feyi was adjudged to have fouled in the box….surely lightning couldn’t strike three times…??? The NP player hit the ball a couple of feet wide of the goal…an awful penalty.

Five minutes later and and Jack Elsey cleared the ball and followed it out of play, hitting it up the line. The referee immediately went to his pocket and gave Elsey a second yellow card and sent him off. Seemed a harsh decision, but the decision was made. Bruno Brito was deployed as left back and Abu Khan was up front alone. It was The Dynamos that reacted best as a long ball, was superbly controlled by Abu Khan and he crossed to Jake Baldwin and his shot went inches wide, beating the keeper…so unlucky.

The next fifteen minutes saw NP slowly getting closer. Ben Gill was superb, tackling well and clearing the ball. Derek Feyi and Craig Carby were on hand to clear anything in the air. Harry Scott was introduced around eighty minutes in, replacing Alfie Gaspar. Moments later NP were attacking again and Joseph Fitzgerald reacted quickest to clear the ball just before the NP player managed to shoot.

Wth normal time running out James Weatherill made another smart save, low to his left this time. NP were mounting pressure, but The Dynamos were holding firm. On eighty nine minutes it boiled over momentarily as Jake Baldwin held onto the ball and the NP Coach ran onto the pitch and wrestled it away from him. At the same time Abu Khan and an NP player get into a brief fracas. The referee sent off the NP coach and booked all three players as he started throwing cards around.

The referee managed to find a ridiculous nine extra minutes and Dynamos hearts were broken in the 98th minute when a goalmouth scramble ended up in Dynamos net to make the final score 1-1.