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Aylesbury faced an uphill task to hold on to their place in the Ryman Premier after another setback in the rain at Buckingham Road. The Ducks slipped to their third defeat in a row against rivals St. Albans who adapted better to the conditions.

Considering the amount of rain all-credit was given to the hard work of groundsman Peter Ash, and after several inspections the referee Mr Harvey of Croxley Green eventually passed the pitch fit some 30 minutes before kick-off.

United's player manager Gary Phillips sprang a surprise by pushing Cliff Hercules up into his former role of centre-forward alongside Gary Crawshaw, but Hercy had a frustrating afternoon as just about every challenge he made was considered a foul.

It was leading scorer Crawshaw who looked set to give his side a 14th minute lead when put clean through, but the covering Peter Risley got in a fine sliding tackle. Soon afterwards the ball ping ponged about amind several deflections before Bobby Highton angled a first time shot, but Saints goalkeeper Noel Imber flew to his left to save.

The visitors hit back well in a fairly even first half prompted by their leading scorer Lenny Piper. The impressive Piper set-up Martin Randall to round goalkeeper Phillips, only to fire into the sidenetting, and a 15-yard drive by David Pratt struck the post. Just before the break Phillips did well to tip round an angled shot from Randall.

On 55 minutes another screamer from Pratt forced Phillips into a superb save, then two minutes later United were reduced to ten men. Off the ball, Randall appeared to kick-out at Scott Honeyball who retaliated. After consulting his linesman, Mr Harvey gave Randall a yellow card and Honeyball his marching orders.

If action was to be taken then perhaps both should have been given an early bath. It certainly proved a turning point in the game because City dominated thereafter as United lost their shape at the back. On 66 minutes Phillips blocked a Lenny Piper shot but Sean James was on hand to follow up and score, and nine minutes later James centre for the unmarked Randall to make it 2-0 at the far post.

The best it got for United was a Hercules volleye which Imber saved, and the visitors should have doubled their margin of victory by the end. Piper missed the target from close range and substitute Steve Clark headed well wide.

To their credit, United's fans never stopped singing all afternoon, but with only four games remaining after this, it was looking as though even The Great Escape might not be enough.