Mens 1s finish preseason with 5-2 win and 100% record

Aylesbury mens 1s came up against a Milton Keynes 2s side who they would be facing two weeks into the league season. Losing Matt Kiely to Injury and Josh Tomlinson unavailable, Aylesbury were forced into playing some players out of position which gave new coach Jaypee Wentzel a chance to see how adaptable some players were. Marc Hignell and Paul Gregory both returning after a week away.
Aylesbury’s last meeting with MK 2s saw their heaviest defeat of last season with a 4-0 thrashing away so Aylesbury would be looking to improve on that score line. It did not take Aylesbury long to score their first goal.

After 30 second Jake Hodgins had the ball in the goal with hesitancy from the MK centre back straight from the push back, Jake Hodgins pressured him and a good tackle left him one on one with the keeper and slotted the ball bottom left past the oncoming keeper. After two minutes, Aylesbury had a second. A nice passing move down the left hand side of the pitch saw the ball end up with Austin Greenlee at top D who shifted the ball left onto his reverse and cracked a low reverse stick strike across the keeper into the bottom left hand corner.

Milton Keynes then came into the game and had a couple of chances in quick succession. Their short corner specialist who had cause Aylesbury so many problems in the last game looked to do the same again but a good double save from the straight strike and the rebound from Stephen Best maintained Aylesbury’s two goal lead. Another short corner from Milton Keynes was again looking to be heading into the top right hand corner only for another Save from Stephen Best diving high to his right and deflecting the ball away with his stick.

Jake Hodgins then added a third for Aylesbury firing a low shot passed the Milton Keynes keeper. Milton Keynes managed to get a goal back just before half time with a ball pushed hard into the Aylesbury D and the MK skipper deflected the ball into the goal for the half to finish 3-1.

The Second half started with possession being equally shared between the two sides with both creating good chances to score. A confusion in the Aylesbury D gave the MK centre forward a good chance to score but failed to get the ball past Best in goal. Aylesbury’s counter attacking play was at its best in this game with the pace of Jake Hodgins, Austin Greenlee, Marc Hignell and Andrew McIntyre in the forward line. Jake Hodgins Secured his hatrick with another fine strike to cap of a fine day for the forward which saw him pick up the Man of the Match award.

MK however were not going to go down without a fight and scored a second off a rebound from a short corner. Aylesbury regained their three goal advantage to kill off the game when good work down the right hand side ended with a ball played into Austin Greenlee who, with ball slightly behind him hit the side netting inside the goal.

A very positive performance for Aylesbury 1s who have maintained a 100% record throughout preseason. They will be hoping that they can take this run of form into the opening day of the season next Saturday against Oxford Hawks 3s.