Redemption arcs are often the cornerstone of a good story and Welwyn Garden City almost produced their own in the second-half at home to Aylesbury United.

A run of three straight defeats had all but crushed the Citizens' Southern League play-off charge, although fatigue was ultimately the real bad guy in that sequence. 

That was in previous games though. In the first half of this one WGC were their own worst enemy, and went in to the break 2-0 down.

The next 45 though was almost constant WGC pressure and a double from Bad Wadkins, plus a Dernell Wynter penalty, put them 3-2 in front.

But a penalty in stoppage time allowed Aylesbury to level and properly end Welwyn's chances of a top five position.

There were two changes from the side that fell to defeat against Bedford Town on Tuesday.

Ryan Kirwan and Jack Vasey the replacements for Josh Bryant and Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo, both of whom were on the bench.

The first half though was a horror show for the home side, gifting Aylesbury two goals without too much hassle or effort.

The first one truly was a gift.

A back pass to Charlie Crowley was poorly controlled by the keeper and it allowed Brayden Daniel to pinch it off his toes and roll it into the empty net.

The second wasn't much better.

A ball over the top suddenly put Kennedy Feyi in alone on the keeper.

Crowley did force him wide when he looked odds on to score but the striker still had time to stop the ball running out of play. turn and pick out David Pearce to turn it in, with only a couple of defenders having gone with his support run.

In between there were a couple of chances for WGC, who dominated possession but were unable to create too many meaningful opportunities.

They will point to the bobbly surface but there was also a noticeable tiredness, probably exacerbated by a rapidly diminishing confidence.

In fact the nearest anyone came to adding to the score was a Feyi shot that brushed the side netting on its way wide.

What was said at half-time will be revealed later but there was a noticeable improvement tempo and endeavour.

It needed a quick goal to cement the good start and it got it, although it needed yet another gift.

The Aylesbury back four stood waiting for a foul that was never ever going to come, and Wadkins simply strolled through them before slotting it to the left of James Callan.

And that lifted the belief.

An overhead kick was blocked and a superb defensive header by Jack Wood stopped Lynton Goss from sneaking in.

There were still opportunities at the other end but Crowley first blocked and then grabbed a Daniel header.

But it was all Welwyn at this stage and it seemed like a matter of time before an equaliser and even more would arrive.

It was 18 minutes from time, a ball to the back post finding Wadkins and his looping header back across didn't touch anyone on its way to the net.

Minutes later Wadkins wriggled into the box and tried to clip it back across.

Hands stopped it getting to a Welwyn man and Wynter turned in the penalty to seemingly complete the comeback.

But a foul two minutes into stoppage time allowed Pearce to get his second and spoil the ending, one which also saw Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo get two yellow cards and be sent off.

Match details

Welwyn Garden City: Crowley, Steel, Kirwan, Bryant, Vasey, Boodhoo, Harris, Wynter, Yeboah (Soulya-Osekanongo 62), Goss, Wadkins, Babaie. 

Sub (not used): Bryant, Jones, Jordan, Ansell.

Goals: Wadkins 52, 72, Wynter (pen) 78

Booked: Soulya-Osekanongo 84, 90+4, Harris 90+2

Sent-off: Soulya-Osekanongo 90+4

 

Aylesbury United: Callan, Cavana, Bewley (Cove 83), Wood, D.Feyi, Lynn, Peters (Tuttle 75), Daniel. K.Feyi, Pearce, Marsh-Brown.

Subs (not used): Diaka, Guthrie, Bloom.

Goals: Daniel 11, Pearce 45+2

Booked: Bewley 19, D.Feyi 23, Peters 63, K.Feyi 90+6

 

HT: Welwyn Garden City 0 Aylesbury United 2

Added time: 12

Referee: Kyfer Mayhew (Hemel Hempstead)

Attendance: 105