PETERSFIELD TN 0, AYLESBURY UTD 2

AYLESBURY United picked up an invaluable victory against Petersfield in their fight to avoid relegation in the Southern League Division One Central.

It was a third successive win for the Ducks who became only the sixth side to win a league game at Love Lane this season and so avenged the 6-2 defeat suffered on their own ground when they hosted the Rams.

Sonny French was the star of the show with two goals, the second being a ‘once in a lifetime’ strike from the halfway line, straight from the start of the second half.

The Rams created several decent chances, but had one of those days when they just could not find the back of the net.

Both teams narrowly missed taking the lead before Aylesbury made the breakthough on 21 minutes. Midfielder French cut in from the right and fired off a shot which keeper Luke Eaton seemed to have blocked, but the ball spun back over his body and rolled into the net.

Petersfield were unlucky not to equalise on 36 minutes. Aylesbury defender Jake Bewley inadvertently crossed the ball straight to Andy Todd and the striker’s first-time volley hit the top of the crossbar.

But the visitors had a reprieve in the closing minutes of the half when Lewis Hyde cleared Vinnie Shrieves’ shot off the line and Reece Cameron blasted the rebound high and wide.

Some ten seconds after the interval, Aylesbury doubled their lead with a truly dramatic strike. From the kick-off, the ball was played back to French who tried his luck from near halfway. Eaton was caught on his penalty spot and could only help the ball on its way into the top corner.

Petersfield had the better of things for the rest of the game. Joe Briggs’ shot took an unlucky deflection and when top scorer Howard Neighbour finally found a bit of space, he blasted the ball over the crossbar.

Two minutes later, Neighbour got a touch to a cross from Briggs and Zaki Oualah managed to save with his outstretched foot.

Petersfield were running out of time, but their hopes revived when Chris Crook pulled Todd back as he burst through on goal and the referee showed him a second yellow card, leaving Aylesbury to play out the last 15 minutes with ten men.

But the rub of the green continued to desert the Rams as chances fell to Neighbour and Todd who put their efforts straight at Oualah.

Petersfield: Eaton, O Searle (Needham), Wain, Green (Giles), Hyde, Ford, Richardson, J Neal, Neighbour, Briggs, Todd. Sub: Sackman (for Giles). Subs (not used): Buckland, Ender.