Dunstable Town 5-2 Oxhey Jets 25th January 2020 Wrote by Patrick MacKay and pictures by Liam Smith. A second brace of the week for Chris Stapleton, a Harry Shepherd strike and a double for Joe Hankins saw the Jets grounded as Dunstable soared to a victory at Creasey Park on Saturday. Dunstable started well, with Eric Ameyaw having his early header cleared away, but it was the away team who found themselves ahead when Louis Bircham headed past a full-stretch Dan Gould. After a short spell of pressure from Oxhey, Dunstable levelled when Hankins charged down goalkeeper Filip Chalupniczak's attempted clearance and saw his block send the ball into the back of the net. The turnaround was completed midway through the first half when the in-form Stapleton, chasing a pass but not looking the favourite to get there, managed to nick the ball from the defender, turn inside to shoot towards the far corner, and when Chalupniczak parried, Harry Shepherd was on hand to turn in the rebound. Gould was not totally unworked though, and produced a fine save from a Luke Preedy shot which looked to be dipping underneath the crossbar. The Blues were looking the more threatening side, and could have extended their lead when Davide Pobbe found himself with time and space to line up a long-range drive which clattered against the crossbar via the fingertips of Chalupniczak. The home crowd were baying for more. More opportunities were created, but it wasn't until Joe Hankins was felled inside the box just before half-time that Stapleton was able to add a third, with a calm penalty sending the keeper the wrong way. A confrontation followed which resulted in a yellow card for Chalupniczak. The Blues looked hungry for more in the second half, and Eric Ameyaw again came close, but again saw his header cleared off the line. Oxhey Jets made their task even harder when an incident on the hour mark saw Jamie Speer sinbinned, and then ultimately red-carded, and then saw goalscorer Bircham sinbinned. The result was put beyond doubt with twenty-five minutes left when Stapleton took a long ball, cut inside Ashley Lewis, and fired into the top corner past a flailing Chalupniczak, for his fourth goal in two games. Jets pressed on though, and Gould was again called into action when Sean Giordmaina was through one-on-one, but Gould came out on top, getting down low quickly to save. With eighteen minutes left Harry Shepherd was sinbinned, and when Luke Preedy fired into the top-corner to make it 4-2, it looked like it could be a nervy finale to the game. But with the away side providing no cutting-edge, and the Town backline defending capably, the chance for Joe Hankins to add a fifth came when he latched onto a ball down the line, outmuscled Jude Bell, and slotted the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper. Daniel Trif, presented with a trophy before the game to mark his hundredth appearance for the Blues, provided a perfect cross in stoppage time, giving Hankins the chance for his hat-trick, but he was unable to direct his header on target. After two good wins this week, Dunstable Town welcome Biggleswade United to Creasey Park on Saturday, February 1st at 15:00.
