Bilton Ajax 2 - 3 Earls Barton United

Football can be a very cruel game. The new look Ajax never looked under threat after going ahead with a blistering strike from Ruairi O'Brien and a close range goal from Elliot Jones. In the second half Ajax played against the wind and created many chances, but failed to convert any. They struck the woodwork and forced saves, but too many shots were off target. With 15 minutes to go Earls Barton broke to pull one back. With about 5 minutes to go they pulled level, then finally scored the winner when the wind caused a clearance to drop short. It’s an old but true saying in football that you must take your chances and today was evidence of that. At no point did Ajax look like losing until they had actually lost. However with a big and very strong squad the rest of the season looks promising.

Get well soon to Andre Chan who managed to carry on playing with a fractured wrist.

Hunsbury 8 - 0 Bilton Ajax

In this cup tie against a team from the division above we were expecting a hard game. And that's what we got! Hunsbury were big, powerful, technically excellent and well organised. The Ajax back four of Hyde, O’Brien, Meakin and Hollins resisted valiantly for the first 20 minutes, but once a rather fortunate miss-hit cross found it’s way into our net Hunsbury turned up the pressure further. Hunsbury’s movement and use of space was vastly better than Ajax, so whilst there was plenty of effort in midfield, it was largely ineffective as Hunsbury regularly made themselves acres of space. The quality of their goals was impressive, both in the build ups and finishes. Goalkeeper Tom Carey had a very busy afternoon with some cracking saves, but Man of the Match goes to Zach Hyde for his brave, continual battles with an assortment of 6 foot tall attackers!

Welford 3 - 1 Bilton Ajax

Neither keeper had much to do in a match that never flowed. Ajax did not use the pitch well in the first half and hit too many hopeful passes in the air. Nevertheless it was quite an even game.

Welford took the lead from a poorly defended corner, where nobody from Ajax met the ball with their head, allowing it to drop at the feet of attacker. Their second and third goals, before and after half time were identical to each other – a long ball down the line, a good cross and a good headed finish.

Ajax had vastly improved in the second half so it was frustrating that the third Welford goal came from an Ajax attack with a dangerous Jack McCrea cross. Scott Woodcock pulled one back with 20 minutes to go, but in spite of greater Ajax pressure the Welford goal never looked threatened.

Wootton St George 0 - 1 Bilton Ajax

The teams looked fairly even in the first half, but Ajax marking in midfield was very poor and Wootton created the better chances. Also once again Ajax failed to pass the ball as fluently as I know they can. In a reshuffle James Fewz moved into the centre of midfield with Harry Taylor, which brought instant improvements as the pair started to pass the ball around.
Worryingly we were still not creating any notable chances in front of goal, so Rowell Bingham and Ruairi O’Brien moved up front at half time. The flow of the game changed considerably as Ajax took control. Eventually they got their break as a defender, under pressure from Taylor knocked the ball past their keeper for the only goal.

A great win, but the concentration and marking must improve.

Man of the match was Ajax goalkeeper, Stuart Clarke who never put a foot wrong.

Bilton Ajax 0 - 4 Gregory Celtic Emeralds

It was an eerily quiet build up to the match and the subdued feeling lasted throughout. All was fairly even until a through ball managed to bypass two Ajax players. The attacker player was subsequently brought down for a penalty. It remained 1-0 into the second half until another through ball was converted by the Celtic attacker. In the final 10 minutes through balls again caught us out as Celtic scored another two. Player for player there was not much difference between the teams, but Celtic made the most of what they had, whereas Ajax seemed disjointed, working reasonably well as individuals but not as a team.

Very difficult to single out a man of the match, so there wasn’t one, but Will Meakin and Denis Page were as reliable as ever, Stuart Clarke persevered to put in a decent second half and new signing Josh Barnard showed good potential.

Woodford United 3 - 3 Bilton Ajax

Ajax were on their game today right from kick off playing into the wind with a superbly worked set piece header from Ruairi O’Brien. Woodford responded well with 2 goals before Josh Barnard stepped in with a short range opportunity. Sadly on the knock of half time Ajax let themselves down and failed to defend a corner.

After half time Harry Taylor calmly leveled the score with an individual opportunity. Ajax then pressured Woodford and defended well at the other end but could not quite make it count. Good performances today also came from Daniel Harbord, Will Meakin, Denis Page, Stuart Clarke and Elliot Jones who was deservedly presented with MOTM for a gutsy game.

Towcester Town Green 0 - 1 Bilton Ajax

Ajax started brightly, with Elliot Jones hitting the inside of the post inside the first 5 minutes. Thereafter the match petered out with neither side creating much. Towcester managed to put the ball in the net though after lackadaisical defending , only for it to be disallowed for offside. Then they were unlucky not to have a penalty for a dangerous kick in the box.

After a stern talking to at half time Ajax came out with a much better attitude and took the game to the opposition, with Elliot Jones tucking one past the keeper. Harry Taylor’s midfield creativity was excellent and the defence looked very solid as we faced a succession of corners in the dying minutes. A pleasing day in the end, but Ajax need to convert more chances, to save the nerves of the parents and manager if nothing else!

Bilton Ajax 7 - 0 Black Panthers

An excellent performance from every player today as Bilton dominated the goal tally. After a slow start Bilton maintained a steady advantage in all areas of the pitch and they looked like a team growing in confidence looking for another victory. In the opening stages Panthers went all out to attack, but strong defensive displays, particularly from Daniel Hollins set us en route to another clean sheet. Denis Page was dominant throughout in midfield, both in breaking down the opposition play and creating moves for Ajax. By half time we were 3-0 up with goals from Josh Barnard, Harry Taylor and Stuart Clarke. Clarke and Taylor continued with their clinical finishing in the second half with Taylor scoring three and Clarke another single. It was pleasing to see lads battling hard right to the final whistle, notably Andre Chan, Zach Hyde and Scott Woodcock. Up the league we go!

Weedon 1 - 4 Bilton Ajax

Ajax’s early pressure paid off when Josh Barnard was brought down for a penalty which Harry Taylor confidently converted. The run up to half time was Weedon’s best spell and they pulled level from a powerful header from a well taken corner. Ajax remained focused and Elliot Jones restored the lead just before half time.

In the second half there was only one team in it. Some exhilarating one touch passing resulted in the third being scored by Jones again for the goal of the game. He completed his hat-trick in the closing minutes. Ruairi O’Brien and Will Meakin were impenetrable at the back. With powerful performances from Andre Chang and Denis Page in front of them in centre midfield Ajax were always in charge. Whilst up front Stuart Clarke and Rowell Bingham displayed some lovely creative touches

This was a superb display of ability and determination!

Drayton Grange 3 - 2 Bilton Ajax

A bright start saw Ajax take the lead from an Elliot Jones strike. Unfortunately from that point Ajax midfield only seemed interested in attacking, getting repeatedly caught the wrong side of their opponents. Together with some substandard performances elsewhere, Grange took full control of the first half going in 3-1 at the interval. The score line flattered Ajax. Only an incredible goal line tackle by Denis Page prevented it from being worse. A half time rocket from the manager and a better attitude resulted in a different game in the second half. Josh Barnard pulled one back and Ajax enjoyed enough chances after that to get a result.

All in all though, Ajax were wasteful. There were too many hopeful flicks, aimless passes, sloppy marking, poor finishing and players that didn't work for each other. A disappointing start to the New Year.

Bilton Ajax 4 - 2 Towcester Town

Ajax started brightly, going ahead in the opening minutes with a long range effort from Harry Taylor. However, in spite of dominating the first half Towcester pulled one back. It was good individual goal but some half-hearted challenges didn’t help. Then Ajax lost keeper Tom Carey to injury.

Nevertheless in the second half, after a slow opening Ajax took control again. Rowell Bingham made it two with a lovely finish then Elliot Jones grabbed another two to seal the match. Towcester did get one back but the result was never in doubt with such a good all-round performances. Daniels Hollins and Daniel Harbord had good, solid games at the back and Ruairi O’Brien put in an excellent, strong performance. The centre midfield three were also excellent with fantastic interplay from Denis Page, Andre Chan and Harry Taylor. Let’s hope for more of the same this week!

Kingsthorpe Jets 1 - 0 Bilton Ajax

With no goalkeeper available, midfielders Harry Taylor and Andre Chan volunteered to play a half each in goal. Against top of the table Kingsthorpe this could have been a disadvantage, yet after an even opening Ajax slowly but surely got the better of Kingsthorpe. Elliot Jones and Josh Barnard came close and a seemingly obvious penalty appeal was turned down.

Ajax were more than a match in every aspect, especially the overtly physical style that Kingsthorpe play. Unfortunately one well taken strike before half time gave Kingsthorpe the lead.
The Ajax back four of Daniel Harbord, Daniel Hollins, Ruairi O’Brien and Will Meakin looked commanding, playing the ball out of defence, whereas their counterparts looked panicky, so at least an equaliser seemed imminent. However, the final ball or strike at goal wasn’t quite at the standard of the rest of Ajax’s play and Kingsthorpe hung on for a fortuitous victory.

Bilton Ajax 0 - 5 Weedon

If they are to challenge for trophies next season Ajax need to address their inconsistency. In the opening period they were half asleep as they gifted Weedon the first goal. Poor marking and half hit clearances gave Weedon another 4 before half time. The Ajax flanks were poor but also the centre of midfield never took control and the attack lacked any threat. In fairness there were chances that on another day would have gone in and would probably have changed the match. However they didn’t, whilst everything Weedon hit did!

In the second half there was better movement and chances were created, yet I can’t remember the Weedon goalkeeper having to make a save all day.

The only positives were Will Meakin, solid as ever, James Fewz, excellent at left back and Ruairi O’Brien leading the team by example. Without these three the damage would have been much worse.

Wooldale Blue 2 - 2 Bilton Ajax

Ajax dominated the first half. Josh Barnard scored the opener from a superb through ball from Harry Taylor and thereafter only desperate Wooldale defending kept the score down.

After half time Ajax were unlucky not to increase their lead when Ruairi O’Brien flung himself at a corner only to see his header crash against the crossbar. Wooldale were bound to mount an attack eventually though. Unfortunately from a scramble in the Ajax box they managed to grab one goal, then stole another after Ajax were too slow to clear in the box. Having only had two shots they were undeserving of the lead. Ajax stepped up the pace again and Elliot Jones grabbed a deserved equaliser. This was a controlled, but high tempo performance. If a little more clinical in front of goal Ajax would have had three points. However, that doesn’t detract from a superb performance all round.

Flore Park Rovers 1 - 2 Bilton Ajax

Ajax looked a solid unit today. In the first half they threatened the goal on several occasions with balls over the top. However the Flore centre backs adjusted and for the rest of the first half dealt with it well. Just before half time there was a lapse of concentration when Flore were allowed the extra yard in the Ajax box, which eventually presented them with the lead.

When playing the ball on the ground rather than the air Ajax were the better team. With the introduction of Rowell Bingham and Jack McCrae into midfield Ajax started to do just that. The equaliser came from a lovely through ball from Stuart Clarke which Bingham finished. Clarke grabbed a second minutes later with a pile driver! Scott Woodcock, Elliot Jones and Harry King all looked dangerous on the flanks but the score remained close thanks to some great Flore keeping.

Bilton Ajax 2 - 3 Woodford United

Today undoubtedly the better team won. Yet in the first 10 minutes Ajax created chance after chance and the game should have been over. However, as is often the case Ajax do not convert enough chances to goals. Then suddenly the midfield seemed to disintegrate.

Although Ajax scored the opening though from a magnificent powerful run from Josh Barnard, Woodford hit back after a period of very indifferent defending.

There wasn’t much improvement in the second half. Woodford scored another from a scramble after Ajax had several easy chances to clear, but Elliot Jones forced an equaliser and an unlikely point looked on. In the dying minutes though Woodford got a free kick. With one of our midfielders daydreaming on the halfway line the player that he should have been marking received the ball to score the winner. A disappointing end to a very good run of form.

Black Panthers 1 - 5 Bilton Ajax

Having selected to play downhill with the wind in the first half Ajax never looked in any sort of trouble. Elliot Jones opened the scoring and Ruairi O’Brien added two more. Before half time Rowell Bingham calmly slotted in a fourth.

In the second half, against the slope and wind Panthers applied more pressure but Ajax were solid with Harry King in particular looking very controlled at the back. Although Panthers got one back, Josh Barnard made sure of the victory with Ajax fifth.

Especially worthy of praise were Andre Chan, whose fantastic work rate ensured Panthers midfield never had any time on the ball, Scott Woodcock, Rowell Bingham and man of the match Jack McCrea, whose hard work continually opened up the opposition defence.

Earls Barton 1 - 2 BIlton Ajax

A scrappy game, probably due to the small pitch and strong winds, but a win nevertheless. Ajax took a 1-0 lead after Jack McCrea played Josh Barnard through on goal, who duly bundled it in. There wasn’t much football played until the introduction of Harry Taylor and James Fewz to the game, who both imposed a level of composure to the play.

In the second half Barnard grabbed his second. Earls Barton managed to get one back and minutes later the referee blew the final whistle. Unfortunately he got his timing wrong so we restarted and played out a nervy 5 minutes, but went home with the 3 points eventually. Not a game for the football purists!

Gregory Celtic Emeralds 1 - 2 Bilton Ajax

In abysmal weather conditions both teams deserve credit for the standard of this game. Once Ajax became acclimatised they got the ball on the ground and played it around nicely. The only thing that prevented them from taking the lead was the final ball being slightly over hit and inaccuracy in front of goal. Eventually josh Barnard made the breakthrough with a trademark solo effort.

Emeralds never managed a shot on goal in the first half, but in the second they started to exert some pressure. That was the perfect time for Ajax to grab a second. James Fewz latched on to a shot that was going wide and calmly rounded the fullback to slot it in.

Emeralds pulled one back to make the remaining minutes nervy. However the Ajax defence looked solid with Harry King having his best game yet and Ruairi O'Brien’s with an immense centre back performance.