Lets be clear this was a much-improved performance from last Saturday. It was a real contest against a decent Aylesbury side and we would not have been flattered with a draw. It was frenetic stuff, albeit lacking somewhat in quality. Chances coming at both ends and being spurned.

Aylesbury fielded two ex-Tring lads, Callum Short and Roy Byron both of whom had good games and it was good to renew aquaintancies with Chris Juraszek and Michael East who have both settled nicely into new roles at Aylesbury. Worth remembering the service Chris gave to our club over many years and the massive time and effort he put in.

For our part, we had three more on the injury list - a real bad luck story for Ryan as, once again, his bench options were limited. Nonetheless we came out of the traps firing and were good value for an early lead when Kieran Turner cut in from the right in trademark style and fired a low shot into the corner. Kieran was in the mood and, together with strike partner Chris Blunden, could have walked off last night with the match ball tucked under either shirt. However, it was not to be as shots fizzed over the bar, were blocked by defenders or saved by the keeper.

Unfortunately we were unable to sustain this early momentum and Aylesbury worked their way back in to the game, scoring twice in the latter period of the first half such that they went in at half time 2-1 up. The second, and ultimately winning goal, came direct from a corner kick. Aylesbury had four or five players well over six foot tall and so they were always going to be dangerous at set pieces but a free header from 6 yards out is likely to be a goal whether youre six foot five or five foot five.

The second half followed a similar vein to the first open, fast and furious but no more goals. We battled to the end, with John Smith often in the thick of it but gamely finishing the match, albeit I suspect with multiple bruises.

Of course, the ultimate assessment of a performance is points on the board and we had none our position in the league table may or may not reflect fairly our season so far, depending on your standpoint, but it is reality and it is of concern. It is perhaps fortunate that we now face two cup matches and can forget our league situation for a while. The MK Irish match on 27th November is when we must start to turn our league fortunes around.

Team:

David Saunders, Ben Johnson, Scott Bonner, Harrison Cornick, Adam Sawyer, George Carberry, John Smith, Manny Gbejuade , Chris Blunden, Frankie Hercules, Kieran Turner

Sub used: Khyreece Smith-Reid

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