Harpenden suffer defeat to Aylesbury Vale after red card

The Spartan South Midlands League Premier match was played at Rothamsted Park  even though it was technically an Aylesbury home game.

However, from being finely poised, it swung wildly on Jason Beck's sending off on 52 minutes.

The experienced defender had clattered Fabian Garcia and from the free-kick that followed, Terry Griffiths nodded Dynamos in front.

But Harps, who had gone in front very early on through Hadley Gleeson before Blaaze Patterson equalised, were level minutes later as Kyle Rahho headed home.

A Bakary Daffeh strike though put Vale back in front and he wrapped things up in stoppage time for a 4-2 win.

There were three changes for Harps from the incredible 3-3 draw with MK Irish one week earlier.

Goalkeeper Eman Olajide was out with concussion, replaced by Liam Gauthier, while Ryan Plowright and Josh Rodrigues came in for Fynn Sweeting and Dan Palmer.

Harpenden have been in fine scoring form recently, 16 goals in their last four league games, and it took them four minutes to get their noses in front here.

It was a scruffy goal mind you.

A corner from the left was hit beyond the back post but nodded back into the middle. From there it somehow looped up and out to around the penalty spot where Gleeson was waiting.

He headed towards goal and although it lacked power, it was able to find gaps and float into the corner.

At that point, Harpenden were having a lot of joy on the ball but slowly, there were signs of Aylesbury settling into the game.

And as they did, they drew level on 17 minutes, a curling effort from Lawrence after being found by Harry Peterson beating Gauthier to his right.

Both sides lost their way for large portions, promising moves not bringing full-blown chances.

That was until the final few minutes when Town got back on top.

Danny Webb of all people spurned a glorious chance when Plowright played the ball into the middle.

The striker has managed eight in the last five league games and 18 in total across all competitions this season.

Yet despite being unmarked here, his header went wide.

Crosses were a good source for Harpenden and on the stroke of half-time another ball in seemed to have brought a second.

It was scruffy again, but after bouncing around slightly, Plowright hooked it behind him at the near post and it plopped into the net.

He had come from an offside position though and the sides turned round at 1-1.

Webb had the first chance of the second half but after a decent touch, he was forced wide slightly and hooked the shot on the turn over the top.

Beck's dismissal put his side in real bother, a fact that Vale doubled down on by scoring from the resulting free-kick, Griffiths ghosting in past a static defence.

However, Rahho's header just three minutes later, as he came in at the back post to meet another set-piece, was a much-needed confidence boost

But they were still at sixes and sevens defensively and when Rahho sliced a ball high in the air, and then failed to win the battle to reclaim it, a hooked ball through found Daffeh running through and he slid it to the left of the keeper.

Despite the man disadvantage, there always seemed to be an opportunity to rescue something for Harpenden but that one golden chance never came.

And Daffeh wrapped things up on the counter.

SSML Premier Division match facts

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos (1) 4 Harpenden Town (1) 2

Harpenden Town: Gauthier, Hilaire, Robinson, Rahho, Rodrigues, Beck, Gleeson (Sweeting 69), Keenleyside, Webb, Anthony (Bailey 87), Plowright (Spaul 69).

Subs (not used): Gilbert, Codling.

Goals: Gleeson 4, Rahho 56

Booked: Rahho 60, Keenleyside 80

Sent-off: Beck 52

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos: Plumbridge, Khan, Peake-Pijnen, Williamson (Baldwin 39), Griffiths, Buanga, Garcia, Daffeh, Peterson (Ebondo 60), Brown, Lawrence.

Subs (not used): Pascal, Jenkins, Ackah-San.

Goals: Lawrence 17, Griffiths 53, Daffeh 61, 90+6

Booked: Garcia 39

Referee: 

Added time: 2+6

Attendance: