Despite having been well beaten by Windsor in midweek, there was reason to be upbeat going into this match with Kingstonian. Plenty of positives came out of that match.
Two such positives were the performances of Jay Gould and Nadim Akhtar, and both were rewarded with starting spots for this match. Akhtar replaced Bubb in one of three changes, the others being Tom Alabaster in for John Marsh, and Daniel Mead in for John Winter at left-back.
The first half was a drab affair, as rain and a swirling wind made the going tough. Matt Pattison had a weak early effort, although it saw Kevin Davies make a needless tip wide. The resulting corner was headed well off target.
Aylesbury's first chance came through Rory Hunter, who burst forward, took the ball on his chest, before shooting on the half-volley with his left-foot, but the effort went wide.
A deep Kingstonian free-kick was half cleared, and Pattison volleyed the ball back in, but wide. Chris Bangura could've scored soon afterwards, but just failed to connect with a dangerous cross.
Scott Steele went close midway through the half, as he tried a well placed effort. The ball was initially taken by Davies, but the strong wind blew it momentarily out of his grasp, but he recovered his composure to re-take the ball.
Ks Assistant Manager Steele was in the thick of things again, as he made a late run into the box, only to place a shot over the bar having been played in. Steele had the whole goal to aim at, in what was a bad miss.
The final chance of the half fell to the visitors, as Pattison headed Steele's free-kick wide of the goal.
Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Kingstonian
The second half started with a bang, as Aylesbury had Davies to thank for keeping the ball out. The ball was chipped goalwards by Steele, and only Davies' plunging save prevented a goal. The keeper performed heroics again, as he scrambled the ball away following a rebounded effort.
At the other end the wind was causing mayhem, and working to the Ducks' advantage. Every time Kingstonian tried to play the ball up field, it was sent swirling back towards their goal by the wind.
Every time an Aylesbury player picked up the ball they were urged to shoot by the home fans, even goalkeeper Davies! Tom Alabaster did just that, with a 35-yard effort which went over the bar, after Rory Hunter laid the ball off.
The mis-firing Stafford Browne could've scored, after nipping onto a short back-header from Danny Hewitt, going past Davies. The angle was always against him though, and he could only fire over the bar on his left-foot.
Aided by the wind, Aylesbury were dominating the game. Their opponents were unable to clear the ball out of their half, as time and time again the ball came flying back. Jay Gould, who looks a great prospect, curled a free-kick just over the bar.
Jamie Moss went on a rare foray towards goal, taking the ball on a 30-yard dribble, before cutting inside and placing a shot wide with his left-foot.
Against the run of play Liam Collins hit the side-netting for the visitors, after breaking down the inside of the box unattended.
Time was running out for the Ducks, who despite their dominance, were just unable to find the back of the net. Danny Mead tried a long-range effort, which for once wasn't caught by the wind, which was the idea, and it went well wide.
In the closing moments of the match, Lewis Pritchard (and most people in the stadium) though he'd won the game for Aylesbury. Out of nothing he unleashed a brilliant snap-shot, which dipped just over and onto the roof of the net.
So the game ended 0-0, but an entertaining 90 minutes for the spectators. The wind cerainly played its part, and Aylesbury made the most of it, in the second half especially. The home side might feel unlucky not to have taken all three points, but its another step on the road to improvement.
Incidentally Aylesbury's only two 0-0 draws this season have both come against Kingstonian. Meanwhile, Kingstonian's last 0-0 draw (they've had three) was against us back in September.
