Mens 1s start with a win!

Aylesbury Men’s 1s began their preseason with the visit of Sonning 1s. After a year away, Aylesbury return to their home pitch of RAF Halton where they have seen a lot of success over the years. During the summer, Aylesbury had signed Jaypee Wentzel as their new Head coach for the coming season. With the new coach taking a back seat and watching the game from the stands it was up to the player on the pitch to impress. Aylesbury also welcomed two debutants on the field with Ben Ireson joining from West Herts and Daniel Lindars coming over from Wycombe.

The match began with Sonning coming out at Aylesbury hard putting pressure on the defence but the defence of Matt Kiely, Tim Atcheson, Graham Thwaites and Mark Bowes held firm and soaked up the early pressure. However the game quickly changed in Aylesbury’s favour when Paul Gregory Jumped on a loose pass from the Sonning defence then slotting the ball passed the oncoming goalkeeper.

Aylesbury then enjoyed a lot of the possession in the following minutes and it wasn’t long before Aylesbury doubled their lead. Good work down the left hand side with Paul Gregory then putting the ball into the danger area where it was met by a fantastic piece of creativity from Marc Hignell on his return from university stretching behind him on his reverse a looping the ball back up over the Sonning keeper and into the top left hand corner of the goal.

Sonning came back hard at the end of the first half winning two short corners. But yet again the A’s Defence held firm and a good double save from Stephen Best and quick work from Matt Kiely clearing off Best’s Pads kept the score at 2-0 at half time.
The second half saw some more great chances from both side but both sides were failing to find the target. Both Defences were holding firm until jake hodgins found himself through on the keeper but good pressure from the Sonning keeper and the tracking back defenders put Hodgins under just enough pressure to avoid their side going 3-0 down. It was then Sonning turn to break the Defensive barrier with some good work down the left breaking into the D and lifting the ball over the oncoming Best and looked to be finding the top right hand corner until Mark Bowes came out of nowhere and hooked the ball off the goal line to maintain the defence’s clean sheet. Paul Gregory pick up the first green card of the season towards the end of the game and with the new rules in place had a two minute sin-bin but Aylesbury held firm and the score finished 2-0.

A great start to preseason for a new look men 1s side. Up next is Berkhamstead 1s on Wednesday Night.