Aylesbury United boss slams 'rubbish' FA Cup performance

Aylesbury go close to scoring against Margate. Photo: Mike Snell.

Ben Williams was left an unhappy man after seeing his Aylesbury United side crash out of the FA Cup on Friday night.

The Ducks were beaten 1-0 by Margate, who play a level above, despite the visitors having Montrell Deslandes sent off just before half-time.

Harvey Smith’s 69th minute winner was enough to send Margate through to the second qualifying round, and Williams wasn’t happy.

He said: “It was rubbish, absolutely rubbish. We should have won the game comfortably, we should have been out of sight at half-time.

"We tore them to pieces but couldn’t finish. In the second-half, playing against ten men, our mindset was all wrong. I’m embarrassed by that second-half performance and I told the players that – it’s not good enough as we should have won that game comfortably.

"In the first-half we tore into them over and over again and I think their keeper made some great saves, as well as easy ones where we should be scoring and if we’d gone in two or three up at half-time I’d say that’s probably fair.

"But then in the second-half we showed no desire, no hunger to go and get the goal.

"It’s pathetic as far as I’m concerned, there was just nothing there. [Margate] had two attacks, two corners and they looked like scoring from every set piece.

"It’s my fault, that’s my team that’s gone out there in the second-half and performed like that.”

Attention now turns to the FA Trophy this weekend, as Aylesbury host Evesham United in the first qualifying round, their opponents currently lying fourth in the SPL Division One South.

Williams added: “We’ve got another cup game and we need to hit the heights that we did in the first-half against Margate.

"We need to play for 90 minutes in the game, not two 45s. That’s something I need to rectify.”

Following the exit from the FA Cup, the Ducks’ league match at Welwyn Garden City has been brought forward to Saturday, September 17 from its original date of October 11.

*There was also FA Cup disappointment for Aylesbury Vale Dynamos last weekend as they fell to a 4-3 defeat at Yate Town.

Prince Nimoh struck twice and Jack Hodgins once but it wasn’t enough as Yate battled back from 2-1 down to win.