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Wallingford lost by the odd goal in seven in an exciting encounter with Bicester at the Hithercroft.
Ben Williams opened the scoring for the visitors after fifteen minutes, beating the offside trap with a perfectly timed run and rounding keeper Craig Evans to tap into an empty net. After half an hour Wallingford equalised from a set piece. Michael Fellows drifted in a corner to the far post where Brad Chalmers towered above everybody else and nodded in. The lead didn't last long and Dan Ames gave Bicester the lead again with a sharp finish soon afterwards. Bedford then blasted a good opportunity over from close range, while Evans made a brilliant save to tip over Ames looping, deflected shot from 25 yards The second half couldn't have started any worse for the home side. Michael Fellows lost the ball on the edge of his own area, giving Paul Darch a clear shot at goal. The ball slipped straight through the normally safe hands of Craig Evans and Bicester had a two goal lead. However, spurred on by a vocal Easter Monday crowd, Wallingford began to claw their way back into the match. Jordan Weaver turned brilliantly on the edge of the Bicester box and fired in a volley which appeared destined for the top corner until McNamara somehow got his fingertips to the ball to force it over the bar. Chalmers then claimed his second goal of the match as Wallingford pulled a goal back, rising highest again at the far post to nod home Fellows corner. However, a lapse in concentration cost the home side another goal when Darch poked the ball into the roof of the net after Aaron Davies had scrambled an inswinging corner off the line. Wallingford rallied at the finish and Weaver went close when he tried to lob McNamara. With five minutes left Jamie Debanks was bundled over in the box from Fellows long throw and the referee pointed to the spot. Debanks stepped up himself to fire the ball low to the keepers right to pull the score back to 3-4, but Bicester managed to hold out for all three points. AFC Wallingford: Evans, Fellows, Davies (De Sousa 80), Pierce, Chalmers, Debanks, Lamont, Weston, Weaver, Brown, Hambridge |
