Now where's my lotto numbers..?

& wasn't that Halleys Comet..?


A busy weekend at Haywood Way. Both youth squads playing at home in cup matches. Despite a bitter wind blowing through the park, both teams put in sterling efforts.....

Under 15’s – Referee’s Cup 3rd Round

Aylesbury Vale 3 – Chiltern Athletic Colts 2


A fantastic match yesterday, (Sunday) at Haywood Way. Chiltern Athletic made the first move at an attack but were quickly closed down, Vale tightened up their game and started to apply pressure on the Colts midfield & defence. The first goal was for the home side, Pat Hurst making a 25yd lob from the right of play in the 9th minute, which left Athletics keeper, Tom Sperring, stunned. Colts had to wait a further five minutes before they managed to get a break, with the disadvantage of playing into the wind, a through ball taken up the pitch & then touched across to Oli Raabe to finish. Vale, having learnt from their mistake, set to work at retaking the lead. Dominating the possession with short accurate passes & winning the ball in challenges. The effort paid off when Luca Forchione slotted the ball past Sperring, two minutes before halftime.

The second half opened with the home team playing into the wind, Chiltern Athletic however didn’t exploit their advantage. The Aylesbury squad still looked tight & determined for a good result. Play was into the 62nd minute when the Vale combination of Hurst & Hawes clicked into place. Pat Hurst lifting the ball & Chris Hawes getting his head behind it leaving Sperring scrambling backwards to try & palm the ball over the bar. The stretch was too much and the ball squeezed in. In an attempt to get back into the game Colts reshuffled their line up, moving 4 up front. Play continued with little change in tempo until the 76th minute, a free kick awarded to Athletic on the left wing. Hayden Stevenson lifted the ball towards his teammates waiting on the edge of the box. With the assistance of the wind his shot curled clear of the waiting players including the Vale keeper Gary Bidgway.
The spirits of the Colts lifted, and with the deficit reduced, the away team pushed even harder to at least pull a draw, (& therefore extra-time) but just couldn’t get the better of Aylesbury Vale in the final minutes.




Under 16’s – League Cup 4th Round

Aylesbury Vale 1 – Widmer End United 0


The under 16’s met Widmer End Utd at Haywood Way yesterday, (Sunday). The match was to be an epic event. With only the first five minutes passed, Aylesbury’s Mo Waqar received a superbly placed forward pass & having taken a run towards the right of goal swung the ball back in, to everyone’s astonishment the ball struck the left post then travelled along the goal line before rebounding back into play off the right post. Vale continued to be a threat, Lewis Roots, receiving another accurately placed forward ball to his feet, made his turn to protect the ball from the defence & continued around to lift the ball at goal. Unfortunately the shot was high & Widmer End were reprieved again. United came back at Vale but lacked the accuracy & finish to make anything. 20 minutes in & Mo Waqar was pushing forward again, through from the centre Mo tipped the ball over the keeper, Callun Akerman, and managed to put it on its way to the net, but a sharp response from a lone defender put it out for a corner. Neither side could get a finish on any chances that became available & the first half closed 0-0.

The second half & Widmer End got straight in with the forward advance, Vales Nathan Davis having to put in a strong save. Vales response was immediate. Waqar receiving the ball, he charged forward, striking it hard Akerman blocked the ball with his feet. The rebound came back to Waqar who touched it back at the now open goalmouth. 41 minutes and the deadlock had been broken. Determined to maintain their lead Vale battled doggedly against the United squad that was equally determined to even the score line. Widmer End raised pulses among the Aylesbury faithful as they closed in on goal & made the Vale defence really work hard. The clearance came from a defender but fell to the feet of Gavin Schofield who was denied the equaliser by Nathan Davis. The stalemate from the first half returned & although Vale were putting the effort in they weren’t seeing it rewarded. As the time elapsed Widmer End went on the offensive again, Gavin Schofield & Alex Zacharek making Nathan Davis stretch to defend his goal. The clearance by the defence to Luke MacDonald, who in turn placed the ball inches ahead of the forward running Ben Goody. An almost clear run along the right wing had Goody turning to swing the ball in at goal but was dispossessed by the right back for a corner. United made a last challenge but with the final whistle blown it will be Vale that go through to the Quarterfinals next month.

Vales new signing Rob Goldney had an excellent game & was instrumental in several of the midfield advances.