Challenge Trophy 1/4 final Dunstable Town 2 Aston Clinton 3

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

The second half improvement from the Blues seemed to have atoned for their limp first half display, but after a peach of an equaliser, Clinton netted their winner within three minutes, and they fully deserved their win against a well below par Dunstable side.

The Blues seem to be suffering a collective seasonal affected disorder, what with the league loss at Oxhey Jets after twice taking the lead and now this humbling loss against an admittedly in form and impressive Spartan Division Two side.

The notable apathy came form the home supporters who mostly elected not to venture out on what was one of the coldest nights of the winter. Aston Clinton brought a good few along and they were suitably delighted to see their team take a deserved 2-0 lead and appear to be cruising to the semi-final.

From the outset it was the Buckinghamshire side that were wide awake and full of pace, very nearly scoring with their first attack.

Dunstable struggled to get the ball out of their own half and were under considerable pressure in the opening stages. Aston Clinton, on what I feel sure is their first ever competitive visit to Creasey Park, played impressive attacking football and it came as no surprise when they took the lead as early as the seventh minute. with an emphatic strike by Ben Sullivan.

Dunstable’s response was somewhat muted with the best efforts being generated along the right flank by Wayne Mills. Eddie Farmer in the Clinton goal had very little to occupy him and he, like us, saw repeated Dunstable efforts cut out in midfield.

Contrastingly, the visitors looked sparkling on the ball. The only sparks we witnessed were accompanying a puff of smoke from one of the floodlight bulbs that signalled its own decision to call it a night.

The pitch was rock hard and was cautiously passed fit by referee Simon Anscomb, who warned that we might not see the game through if it became worse. It might not have been a bad idea to have called it off to save our being further disgruntled in a poor half for Dunstable.

We did see a return of Nick Jackson, but the Blues were without the services of Aaron Flood and Danny Ryan. Paul Taylor, of course continues to serve his suspension, being again replaced by Ryan Haggerty in goal.

Trailing one -nil at the interval, the Blues perked up a little in the opening stages of the second half and did look a lot more threatening than before, where they had not really produced a clear cut chance to score.

The response from Clinton was to score again in the fifty-eighth minute through Jeremy Robinson, with another decent strike.

The best that can be said is that it galvanised the Blues into some purposeful attacking play in what was their best spell, which brought two goals. Dan O’Connor was on target on sixty-three minutes completing a well worked move and Alex Mc Carthy scored the sweetest of equalisers on seventy-seven minutes, dinking the ball neatly over Farmer’s head.

This was the moment to assert one’s so called seniority, but within three minutes Aaron Usmani restored the lead for the visitors and deserved the fulsome celebration of his team mates.

Dan Picknell came closest to bagging the equaliser that may have put the tie into extra time when his free header just cleared the post.

The goal robbed Dunstable of their growing dominance and the visitors finished comfortably and had a good few chances of their own in the closing stages.

Somewhat under whelmed by his team’s showing tonight, Darren Feighery has asked me to include in my report that Terry ‘Jay Jay’ Billy has been dismissed from the team after he absented himself when about to be employed as a substitute. I conjecture that Jay Jay was miffed that he did not start and elected to wend his way homewards rather than stay on the bench.

It is always sad to report such matters but perhaps it is best to state what occurred and the reasons behind the manager’s action.

The Blues did employ as substitutes Chris Doggett and Jonathan Barnett. It is something of an understatement to suggest that the kind of performance tonight needs to be improved on dramatically for the forthcoming clash with Royston Town in the league on Saturday. A team who will be eager to avenge their startling 3-4 home defeat against Dunstable, when Lee Burgoyne scored that notable winner in injury time at Garden Walk.

It might not be the best time to mention it, but the Blues have now lost five games in a row since that heroic victory at Royston and are indeed in dire need of a confidence building win.

These losses form the worst sequence of results and of course, the long lay-off because of the weather has played its part.

Aston Clinton’s fine win must be applauded and they were certainly delighted and without doubt they were the better team on the night, coping so well when the Blues had drawn level and looked for a short while that they would achieve a form result.

Well, cup competitions are like that and we wish Aston Clinton all the best for the semi-finals.
What Dunstable need is an assured performance where they can play to their strengths and Saturday will, weather permitting, provide that opportunity.

An improved performance is vital and necessary of the Blues are to make the most from the games they have in hand. Aylesbury defeated Tring Athletic tonight to return to the top of the league, and both those teams will be visiting Creasey Park for return fixtures.

O’Connor and McCarthy provided something of a highlight for the Blues tonight, but without a doubt the night belonged to the impressive Aston Clinton.

DUNSTABLE TOWN

Ryan Haggerty, WAYNE MILLS, Lee Burgoyne, Matthew Baldry, Luke Flood, Neal Perrin, Nick Jackson, Dan Picknell, captain, Douglas Kisuule, Dan O’Connor, goal 63 minutes, Russell Preston.

Substitutes- Terry ‘Jay Jay’ Billy, Chris Doggett, Alex McCarthy, goal, 77 minutes, Jonathan Barnett.

ASTON CLINTON

Eddie Farmer, Alex Bateman, James Horwood, Neil Messham, Peter Thorne, captain, Jeremy Robinson, goal, 58 minutes, Neil Roberts, Ben Sullivan, goal, 7 minutes, Aaron Usami, goal, 80 minutes, Steve Powell, Peter Weirich.

Substitutes- Joynul Hoque, Darren Woolard, Gavin Masnsi.

Officials - Simon Anscomb, Bedfordshire, assistants - Peter Hazell and Aidan Waters, Hertfordshire.
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To the Regiment, I wish I was there.