Oxhey Jets replay report
Report by Rupert Cane
Oxhey Jets fought hard for three halves of this FA Cup tie but ultimately wilted in the face of Kingstonian pressure as Hayden Bird’s side ran out 8-1 winners on Wednesday night.
It took until two minutes before half-time for the K’s to finally breach the Jets defence, and as it turned out they needed a helping hand to get in front. Bryant Akono Bilongo’s cross was headed onto the post by one Jets defender, prodded goalwards by Gus Sow and then tipped by Rob Partington in the visitors goal onto another defender, Tom Gibson, who could only kick it into his own net. Pretty it was not, but the comedic nature of the goal will live long in the memory.
K’s might already have been three- or four-nil up by then, with a combination of Partington and poor finishing stopping that from being the case. Sow in particular missed a great chance, with Kershaney Samuels one of those impressively denied by the affable keeper.
But the K’s showed no such profligacy after the break. Within two minutes Daniel Ajakaiye had raced clear and calmly converted, and it was 3-0 barely three minutes later, Ajakaiye again doing the business, this time converting a low Juevan Spencer delivery.
Oxhey barely threatened all night in the face of impressive K’s pressure and ball retention, but from a Simon Cooper mistake Sean Giordmaina was able to get free of the backline and finish under Rob Tolfrey.
That was as good as it good for the Hertfordshire side. On the hour Ajakaiye, who had just been denied his hat-trick by a superb Partington save, was bundled over in the box. Jason Banton, and not Sow or Ajakaiye, stepped up to easily convert.
The striker did complete his treble on 71 minutes, tucking Rhys Murrell-Williamson’s cross in from close range. His second hat-trick of the season had taken just 25 minutes. 5-1.
The scoring was far from over. Elliot Buchanan, Ajakaiye’s replacement, was the next to benefit from Spencer’s fine work down our right, and then he cutely glanced in fellow sub Teo Kurtaran’s cross for his second in eight minutes.
The final nail in Oxhey’s coffin came in stoppage time. It was a thoroughly deserved goal, too, as Murrell-Williamson fired in off the post having been released down the left. He and Samuels on the flanks were superb all evening.
All in all, an excellent night’s work against a side who gave everything but ultimately ran out of steam. For K’s, fresh off their biggest FA Cup win since 1947, it’s Horsham at home in the second qualifying round.
Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Juevan Spencer, Bryant Akono Bilongo, Jerry Puemo, Simon Cooper, Kenny Beaney, Kershaney Samuels, Gus Sow, Daniel Ajakaiye, Jason Banton, Rhys Murrell-Williamson.
Subs: Aaron Lamont (for Kershaney Samuels, 63m), Elliott Buchanan (for Daniel Ajakaiye, 75m), Declan Skura, Ollie Cook, Teo Kurtaran (for Kenny Beaney, 70m), Jonathon Gjoshe, Mason Whitnell.
Oxhey Jets: Rob Partington, Kenny Nobrega, Tom Gibson, Joe Haidar, Jon Munday, Tom Inch, Owen Ayres, Lee Grace, Tom Kennedy, Harry Beaumont, Sean Giordmaina.
Subs: Sandro Costa, David Jacks, Nathan Page (for Lee Grace, 76m), Lewis Putman, Mark Ayres, Wayne Gladdy.
Goal scorers: Gus Sow (43m, 1-0), Daniel Ajakaiye (47m, 2-0), Daniel Ajakaiye (50m, 3-0), Sean Giordmaina (52m, 3-1), Jason Banton (61m pen, 4-1), Daniel Ajakaiye (71m, 5-1), Elliott Buchanan (77m, 6-1), Elliott Buchanan (85m, 7-1), Rhys Murrell-Williamson (90m, 8-1)
Attendance: 251
