Report by Dan Legg

Following the very much forgettable affair on Saturday, a somewhat threadbare Aylesbury FC team arrived at the Harlow Arena for their FA Trophy replay with confidence after an uninspiring performance from the Bostik Premier side three days prior and the carrot of Dulwich Hamlet awaiting the victors.

Some notable names missing from the squad included Jordan Jenkins, Kieran Schmidt and Jeanmal Prosper, who were replaced by fringe players Derek Feyi, Kerran Lataille and Alfie Touceda. With manager Davis Haule stuck in major motorway traffic it was left in the capable hands of Ryan Collings and the rest of the coaching team to organise the team on our nemesis - a 3G pitch.

However, it didn’t take long for the hosts to get going, taking full advantage of our Achilles Heel – defending low crosses. Just six minutes had past when Alex Read (not the cage fighter) reached the by-line ahead of Joe Fitzgerald, who fizzed a ball across goal, with Jared Small lurking unmarked at the back post to slot home. The visitors almost hit back immediately, a somewhat out of sorts Shane Almond tried one from distance, but Ben McNamara did well to scramble the ball behind for a corner.

On 12th minutes an unexpected equaliser arrived, a corner routine straight off the training ground saw Shane Almond play short to Anthony Ball, who unleashed a rocket from 25 yards, low and hard through bodies into the bottom corner. Parity didn’t last long however, as on 27 minutes Harlow retook the lead, another low cross this time from the right-hand side found its way to Alex Read (doesn’t know Katie Price) in the box, his effort was spectacularly cleared off the line by Joe Fitzgerald however, the clearance fell to Reece Dobson who wasn’t closed down and he stroked home.

On 33 minutes Harlow could have had another one, a carbon copy of the move leading to the home side’s first goal again saw Small lingering at the back stick, this time Ash Jenkins was switched onto it and smothered his point-blank shot behind.
The pressure soon told though, as on 36 minutes following some good attacking play from the hosts in the Moles final third, Alex Read received a killer pass and clattered home past a helpless Ash Jenkins who was getting very little protection from his back line.

Half Time: Harlow Town 3 Aylesbury FC 1

The Hawks started where they left off in the second period, as just two minutes in, a Jide Maduako defensive clearance took a vicious bounce off the artificial surface over substitute Ben Stevens’ head into the path of Junior Dadson who took full advantage of the error and added another one to the scoreboard – cue the air-raid siren for the fourth time.

The hosts had taken their foot off the gas by this point, and the game entered a huge lull, Reece Dobson going close to making it five for the hosts when his free kick bounced off the underside of the crossbar. There was a consolation goal late on for the travelling supporters to cheer about, as deep into a considerable amount of injury time following a facial injury to Garry Jones earlier in the half, Kerran Lataille threaded a deft ball through to Harry Scott who did what he does best – placing one past McNamara.

Full Time: Harlow Town 4 Aylesbury FC 2

A disappointing way to exit the FA Trophy, especially off the back of three clean sheets and some solid performances, however, missing some vital first teamers hampered us and the curse of the 3G surface struck again.
Our attention now turns to the league where we take on a free scoring Thame side – Saturday, 3pm, Haywood Way.
Match Rating: 2/5
Aylesbury FC MOTM: Anthony Ball