A granddaughter for Jill and David Fuller
Congratulations from everyone at Oxhey Jets to Jill, David, Mark and Julie on the birth of Jessica Charlotte.
Jets steal the points
Stotfold 2 Jets 3
Spartan Premier Division
31 August 2010
Tim O'Mara was outstanding in this first league win of the season for Jets at Stotfold.
This really will be remembered as the lucky escape as Jets were battered in the second half, but somehow hung on for a stoppage time winner.
The game started all Jets even though more injuries again caused changes for the luckless Oxhey team, This time Liam Hanley was called up for his club debut straight into the first team, following Ben Alexander having broken ribs confirmed at the hospital.
Jets dominated and TIM O'MARA opened the scoring after just 9 minutes, his shot took a deflection and went in off the post.
Seconds later Lee Armitt touched the top of the bar, and then found the net but was denied by an assistant’s flag. LEE ARMITT then went at the defence and was brought down for a definite penalty and took it himself and converted for 2-0.
Jets looked rampant but things started to turn and a Stotfold attack became a threat when Ant Shepherd committed and was beaten and they drove in, Wayne Gladdy was just out of reach and the villagers pulled one back.
The balance was now even until the break.
Nobody was ready for for the complete u-turn the game was to take, Jets were battered second half, it was a one sided onslaught, it was really one way with last gasp defending from Jets who battled, threw legs, arms, and heads in the way of the ball, and got some help as well from the post and the crossbar.
Jets held on until just six minutes from time, when Steve Brown brought down a Stotfold forward and it was 2-2 from the spot, again the referee got it right.
Jets at this stage would have bought a point, Stotfold had Jets Man of the Match Tim O'Mara twice head off his own line, Sam Styles denied them with save after save and as stoppage time ticked away Jets felt they must get the point that they had really dug in for.
The pressure was eased as the clock ticked down when Jets had what may well have been their first excursion into their opponents penalty area of the second half. Then, from a resulting corner, skipper Chris Ingham kept cool and three times fired in and now it was Stotfold clearing their lines, but it fell to the outstanding TIM O'MARA in the 93rd minute and he blasted high into the net for the winner.
At last Jets have points on the table and a good week with this league victory coming on the back of Saturday’s F.A. Cup win.
Jets Storm Back for Cup Win
Jets 4 St Margaretsbury 1
F.A. Cup Preliminary Round
28 August 2010
After two confidence sapping league defeats in the last week, Jets turned to the F.A. Cup to get their season back on track. They faced a St Margaretsbury side that had made an almost identical start to their season as Jets, losing all their 5 opening league games but winning their previous F.A. Cup tie.
After a shaky start, Jets powered back from a goal down in the magical (and financially beneficial) FA Cup competition to win, in the end, convincingly by four goals to one.
Jets will not be pleased, however, with their first half performance but the turn around in the second was massive as they powered back from St Margaretsbury’s 18th minute strike to earn a prized trip to AFC Hornchurch from the Rymans Premier League.
Manager Benny Higham shook up the team who were lacking in confidence by recalling Ben Alexander, Skipper Chris Ingham and Wayne Gladdy to the starting line-up, and adding striker Lee Armitt, coming back from injury, to the bench.
St Margaretsbury opened the scoring when Anthony Shepherd gave away a clumsy free-kick on the edge of the area and the resulting shot from Ted Clark was nudged over the line off skipper Chris Ingham.
Jets really were poor at this stage but the lifeline came just minutes from the break when Wayne Gladdy jinked and curved a way through the midfield and rolled a sweet ball to BEN ALEXANDER who turned on a sixpence and slotted home to tie up the game.
Jets only other chance of the first half fell to Adam Lowton who was put in by Ben, but the ball skidded away under foot and the chance was lost.
The second half saw Anthony Shepherd replaced by youthful prospect Lewis Putman for his FA Cup debut, and, along with the introduction of Striker Lee Armitt, the Jets structure changed to a more attacking role.
This paid immediate dividends when Wayne Gladdy again opened the Saints’ defence and this time his inch perfect pass was hit low into the net by LEE ARMITT to put Jets in front.
Five minutes later BEN ALEXANDER cracked in from the edge of the box to give Jets clear air in the tie.
Bury did rally but man of the match Steve Brown and Spencer Bellotti were now winning the back line tackles and skipper Chris Ingham was mopping up the rear line and Jets looked comfortable.
LEE ARMITT ended all smiles when he started and finished Jets fourth goal, lobbing the ‘keeper gracefully to earn a good win for Jets in what has been an uncomfortable start to the season for Jets.
IF ONLY cup results could be turned into league points!!
