AYLESBURY UNITED 6-4 SITTINGBOURNE

FA TROPHY 1ST QUALIFYING ROUND

PLAYED AT HOLLOWAYS PARK, BEACONSFIELD

FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST 2026

MATCH REPORT BY DAVID FIGG

After suffering their second straight defeat with a 1-2 away loss to Potters Bar Town in their opening Pitching In Southern League Division 1 Central fixture the previous Saturday, Aylesbury United bounced back in sensational style with a stunning 6-4 home win over Pitching In Isthmian League South East Division side Sittingbourne in their FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round clash in a 10-goal thriller on a dramatic night at a wet Holloways Park, Beaconsfield on Friday night.

That defeat by Potters Bar plus results elsewhere had left The Ducks in 20th place out of 22 in the table, level on no points with both 21st placed Hadley and bottom of the table Beaconsfield Town but ahead on goal difference.

Meanwhile, Sittingbourne had gone into the game on the back of a 2-1 away win over Southern Counties East League Premier Division side Erith and Belvedere in the Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round the previous Saturday, which was their second straight win out of a total unbeaten start to the season of 4 games in all competitions.

With results elsewhere earlier in the week, they went into the game in 4th place in the table, level on points with 2nd placed Eastbourne Town, 3rd placed Merstham and 5th placed Peacehaven and Telscombe (all separated by goal difference), with leaders Hastings United a further 2 points ahead.

The evening got off to a celebratory start with a presentation to long-standing Ducks captain Jack Wood before the kick off to mark his 700th appearance for the club.

The first chance came United's way in the 6th minute when Chase Matthew's through ball from 10 yards inside his own half on the left of middle found Ike Okwusogu on the left.  He took a touch to control before squaring to his right to Frankie Bircham 20 yards out on the right of middle, who took a touch to control before having his tame low right foot shot easily gathered by Sittingbourne keeper Jamie Grossart.

The Ducks went close in the 14th minute when Sonny French's long ball forward over Sittingbourne defender Skye Salmon from inside the centre circle in his own half found Okwusogu on the left and he beat Salmon on his way into the box before having his eventual right foot shot from 8 yards blocked at his right hand post by Grossart.  The rebound fell to Okwusogu whose right foot shot was blocked by Grossart before the ball was cleared.

Another chance came the hosts' way just before the end of the 22nd minute when Bakary Daffeh's low through ball on the right found French, whose clipped ball into the box found Cleveland but his header from 18 yards lacked power and was easily held by Grossart.

Then at the other end just into the 23rd minute, a ball in from the left found Harvey Smith who dummied Matthew before sending his curling left foot shot from 25 yards wide of Ducks keeper Jack Hopwood's left hand post.

Then in the 25th minute, Sittingbourne took the lead when Bagasan Graham's pinpoint free kick from the left to the near post found the unmarked Jaiden Chang-Brown, who sent his header past a rooted Hopwood into his left hand corner.  1-0 Sittingbourne

The visitors went close to doubling their lead in the 27th minute when a low diagonal ball on the left found Khavarn Williams, who took a touch to control and beat Ex Buanga before sending a deep cross to the far post for Jordan Greenidge to fire his right foot shot from 4 yards into Hopwood's left hand corner. 0-2.

The Ducks went close in the 37th minute when Wil Turner's throw-in infield from level with the edge of the box on the right was headed out by a defender to Okwusogu, who took a touch to control before sending his left foot shot from 20 yards flying past Grossart's right hand post.

It was 3-0 in the 38th minute when Agbebi's low ball in from the right found Jordan Greenidge in the D, who took a touch to control before turning and firing his low left foot shot into Hopwood's left hand corner to leave his side seemingly coasting into the next round - or so they thought!  0-3

Then in the 40th minute, The Ducks pulled a goal back when Turner won the ball on the front left edge of the box with the ball running to the in-running from the left Okwusogu, who took a touch to control and ran a few paces to his right along the edge of the box before firing his low right foot shot from just outside the right hand corner of the D into Grossart's right hand corner to give his side hope.  Aylesbury 1-3 Sittingbourne

A chance came Aylesbury's way in the 42nd minute when Turner's cross from the right into the box found Cleveland, who took a touch to control before having his tame low right foot shot from 6 yards saved by Grossart before the ball was cleared.

HALF TIME: Aylesbury United 1-3 Sittingbourne.

Aylesbury made a double substitution at half time with Fiay Reeves coming on to replace Turner and Adam Martin coming on to replace Bircham.

The first chance of the second half came The Ducks' way right at the end of the 50th minute when French's pass to his right found Cleveland, who beat Reiss Greenidge and ran away to his right before dragging his low right foot shot from 20 yards wide of Grossart's right hand post.

Whatever Ducks manager Paul Batchelor had said to his players in the dressing room during the half time interval must have worked because they had started the second half looking like a different team.

Indeed, the hosts pulled another goal back in the 52nd minute when Daffeh picked up a loose ball 35 yards out on the right of middle and cut back inside before passing to his left to French, who fired his right foot shot from 25 yards into Grossart's top right hand corner for a stunning strike worthy of being a goal of the season contender to bring his side right back into it.  Aylesbury 2-3 Sittingbourne

Then in the 53rd minute, Salmon was shown a yellow card by referee Matt Friend for a foul on Okwusogu.

Then in the 58th minute, it was unbelievably 3-3 when Buanga's ball down the right flank from 30 yards out found Daffeh, who ran on before passing infield to Okwusogu just inside the right of the box.  He slipped the ball to his left to Reeves at the near post who, with Salmon at his back, in one sweet movement took a touch to control and turned his man before firing his low right foot angled shot from just inside the right hand corner of the 6 yard box across Grossart into his right hand corner.  3-3.

Then right at the end of the 63rd minute, Reiss Greenidge became the second player to be yellow carded by referee Friend, following a foul.

Even more unbelievably, The Ducks went 4-3 up in the 64th minute when Okwusogu picked up a loose ball 25 yards out in the middle in his own half and ran forward to the halfway line before sending a low through ball down the middle to the on-running Cleveland.  He ran on and into the box before firing his low right foot shot from 15 yards into Grossart's left hand corner to turn the game on its head.  4-3 Aylesbury

Sittingbourne then made a triple substitution with Jordy Mongoy coming on to replace Williams right at the end of the 68th minute, Joe Boachie coming on to replace Agbebi in the 69th minute and Darren Foxley coming on to replace Chang-Brown in the 69th minute.

Then just into the 73rd minute, Jake Bewley's forward ball on the left found Okwusogu, who took a touch and ran past Salmon before being pulled down by the Sittingbourne man.  With Salmon having already been yellow carded, referee Friend had no option but to show him a second yellow and send him off to leave the visitors to battle on with just 10 men for the final 17 minutes.

Then right at the end of the 74th minute, Okwusogu ran from the halfway line down the right before sending a forward ball to Reeves, who got in front of Reiss Greenidge before going down inside the box.  However, referee Friend said no penalty and waved play on.

The Ducks made another change just before the end of the 79th minute when James Bone came on to replace Daffeh.

Then right at the end of the 80th minute, it was incredibly 5-3 when Bewley won a challenge by the far left corner of the box before sending a low ball down the left to Reeves, who took a touch to control before pulling the ball back low for Okwusogu, who took a touch to control before firing his low right foot shot from 15 yards into Grossart's left hand corner.  5-3

Sittingbourne felt that Bewley's challenge was a foul and protested to referee Friend, who dismissed their claims and yellow carded Jordan Greenidge for his part in the protest.

Aylesbury then made a double change deep into the 86th minute when Abdullah Jellal came on to replace French and Lee Stobbs came on to replace Okwusogu.

Then in the 88th minute as if there hadn't been enough drama already, Bewley made a cross-field run from left to middle before finding Reeves on the left, who took a touch to control and beat Reiss Greenidge on his way into the box before being brought down by him.  Referee Friend said penalty and after the fuss had died down, Cleveland stepped up to fire the resulting spot kick into Grossart's left hand corner to make it 6-3.  6-3 Aylesbury.

A chance came Aylesbury's way 1 minute 23 seconds into added time when a cross from the right found Gavin Hoyte, whose effort was saved to his right by Hopwood.

That wasn't the end of the drama though, as just into the 6th minute of added time at the end, Sittingbourne pulled a goal back when Foxley's corner from the left towards the far post found Boachie, who sent his header from 12 yards into Hopwood's left hand corner via his left hand post.  Aylesbury 6-4 Sittingbourne.

The final blast of referee Friend's whistle after an eventual total of 5 minutes 41 seconds of added time brought the game to a close and confirmed Aylesbury's place in the next round.

It had been one of the most unbelievable games and dramatic comebacks in United's history and it was a shame that only 144 people (including about 40-50 from Sittingbourne) were there to witness it.  However, those who were there will no doubt remember and be talking about it for many years to come.

United: Jack Hopwood, Ex Buanga, Jake Bewley, Jack Wood, Chase Matthew, Sonny French, Wil Turner, Frankie Bircham, George Cleveland, Bakary Daffeh, Ike Okwusogu.  Subs: Adam Martin (for Bircham 46), Abdullah Jellal (for French 86), Finlay Reeves (for Turner 46), James Bone (for Daffeh 79), Lee Stobbs (for Okwusogu 86).

Sittingbourne: Jamie Grossart, Skye Salmon, Bagasan Graham, Jaiden Chang-Brown, Gavin Hoyte, Reiss Greenidge, Kieran Agbebi, D'Sean Theobalds, Harvey Smith, Khavarn Williams, Jordan Greenidge.  Subs: Joe Boachie (for Agbebi 69), Jordoy Mongoy (for Jordan Greenidge 68), Darren Foxley (for Chang-Brown 69), Luke Woodward (not used), Samsun Uwandu (not used).

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