Beaten Jets left to count cost of missed chances after impressive display

Oxhey Jets produced a superb performance against play-off hopefuls Yateley United but came up just short as they were beaten 2-1 in their Combined Counties League Division One Challenge Cup third round tie on Tuesday night.

After a couple of poor league performances, including Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Holmer Green at the Boundary Stadium, this was a top-end display and Jets were left feeling a little hard done at not taking the quarter-final tie to penalties at least.

The match got off to a dramatic start with Yateley missing a bolt-on chance for the lead, then minutes later Jets leading scorer Owen Ayres spurned an equally big opening at the other end.

The match built into an enthralling end-to-end contest and Jets took the lead from the penalty spot after Remell Stirling was chopped down from behind as he was about to roll the ball into an empty net, with Ayres slotting home from 12 yards to make it 1-0.

The hosts looked set to take that advantage into the break were bitterly disappointed to concede from a corner right on half-time.

Chances continued to come and go at both ends, but it was Jets who were to pay the price for their profligacy in front of the opposition net.

From another corner, it was to prove the same story again, with Yateley scoring with another unchallenged header for what proved to be the winner.

Jets really pushed and pushed and never gave up hope of scoring an equaliser. The attitude of the hosts was excellent with chances falling to George Rice, Ayres and Stirling, but they lacked the necessary accuracy to make them count.