Fledglings overcome local rivals Aylesbury

Despite fielding a make shift line up, the Fledglings started the game with great purpose. A skilful individual run by, player of the match, Reece Cook, was rewarded with a short corner. The keeper initially saved Adrian Gotzheim’s strike but he made no mistake with the rebound, thumping it into the Aylesbury goal.

However the visitors are a strong side and eventually their own pressure was rewarded with an equaliser. In the remainder of the half, it was Leighton that came closet to scoring. Joshua Gale’s mazy run across the “D” drew defenders and created space. His slipped pass to Matt Carter was struck past the keeper but agonisingly just wide of the post.

The second half saw the lead swap, with Aylesbury scoring early on but Leighton responding with further short corner pressure and Gotzheim powering in another strike for the equaliser. Having found his range Gotzheim then completed his hat trick with an unstoppable shot, the best of his three high quality goals.

Although the play was even it was Leighton who had the more clinical finishing. Following further good work by Joshua Gale, the Fledglings were rewarded again with a penalty corner. Although the keeper saved well, Jonathan Rogers reacted quickest and turned to slide the ball past the keeper.

Leighton’s defence stayed solid protecting the lead. Marshalled by David Thompson there was great tackling from Cook and strong covering from Joseph Giltrow and John Field.

Credit to Aylesbury though, with ten minutes to go they again reduced the arrears but the Fledglings avoided a nervous finale when Carter seized on a cross from the right to sweep the ball home at the near post.

This was a great game of hockey, which the Fledglings just edged through their determination and clinical finishing.

Final score: 5 - 3 Leighton win, Aylesbury 5s lose
Player of the Match: Reece Cook