Aylesbury United moved up the fourth place in the Southern League Premier Division with a comprehensive, and relatively comfortable, win over Gloucester City.
Defender Andrew Hodges made his club debut following his signing from Barnet earlier in the week, as a straight-swap for the outgoing Luke Graham in the only team-change from the Forest Green match. There were places on the bench also for the recuperating Garry Cook, and the latest youth team product Joe Wright.
The match was action packed from start to finish, with chances in plentiful supply. Aylesbury had the first two, as Gavin Jaggard mis-cued a shot well wide, and Drew Roberts saw a shot blocked after being played through by Dean Cracknell.
Leon Gutzmore had a great chance to open the scoring inside five minutes, but he lifted his left-footed effort over the bar having linked up neatly with Jaggard. More excellent play followed, with Gutzmore being played in to the right of the area, and passing the ball into the box causing a melee of Gloucester defenders trying to hack the ball clear
Gloucester had two great chances of their own on the quarter-hour mark. Firstly Dave Wilkinson crashed an effort goalwards, which Jack Rashid smartly saved but couldn't hold the ball, and the same player couldn't direct the rebound goalwards. Then the backpeddling Aylesbury stopper did well to keep out a cross-shot. Tom Webb couldn't quite get his head to the rebounding ball, and the danger was cleared.
The brief spell of attacking play from the Tigers was followed by further goalscoring opportunities for the Ducks. Roberts broke free down the left and held-up the ball, before going for goal himself with a rasping effort which just missed the far corner. The lively Cracknell went closest so far for Aylesbury, with a well executed half-volley which was saved on the line by Matt Bath, after the ball had richocheted back to him from Greg Williams' blocked effort.
Cracknell went closer still a minute later, as the Gloucester defence watched on, he unleashed a swerving effort which smacked against the corner of post and bar.
The home side then squandered their best chance of the half. Hitting United on a swift counter-attack the ball was squared inside to lay a goalscoring gift on a plate for Lee Smith, but he somehow contrived to hit an awful shot well off-target.
The remainder of the half belonged to Aylesbury, as they began to carve apart their opponents at will with slick passing and some great football. Roberts was denied by Bath on the half-hour mark, with the Gloucester stopper doing well to rush-out and save after Cracknell played the ball through.
Roberts then turned provider, delightfully flicking the ball into Gutzmore's path, but his left-footed shot went over the bar, when he should really have hit the target.
With the first half entering the final five minutes, Gutzmore had a shot held easily by Bath on his near-post, before Edgeworth gave the Ducks a much deserved lead with the last kick of the opening period. The goal came on the end of another flowing move from Aylesbury, as Mead played the ball down the line from Cracknell, who delivered a fantastic cross-field pass which was taken down excellently by Edgeworth and calmly slotted into the far corner of the net. 1-0 Aylesbury
Half-time: Gloucester 0-1 Aylesbury
The second half took a while to get going again, especially from Aylesbury's point of view, as Gloucester kept posession well and went close to an equaliser in the 54th minute, as Marvin Thompson burst forward from defence to connect with a low-cross but send the ball wide. The Ducks also escaped a strong penalty appeal for an apparent hand-ball in the box.
But it was the away side who were celebrating two-minutes later, as they doubled their lead. Cracknell was again involved, feeding Roberts who began a mazy dribble through the Gloucester defence, before the ball finally fell to Gutzmore who prodded the ball home. 2-0 Aylesbury
Gloucester's frustrations were evident soon after, as Darryl Addis pounded a shot way over the bar with the Tigers fighting for scraps.
In the 61st minute the result was sealed, Drew Roberts netting his 6th goal since joining the club just over a month ago. Finding himself in behind the home defence once again, he skillfully dinked the ball past Bath for Aylesbury's third. 3-0 Aylesbury
With the match over as a contest, Aylesbury were happy to see out the remainding time by keeping the ball and contuing their passing game which had undone Gloucester throughout the match.
The Tigers' player-manager Chris Burns did waste a glorious opportunity to score though, turning the ball wide of the far-post at a corner. Not for the first time of the afternoon, Lee Smith got forward well down the right, but instead of electing to cross the ball, selfishly went for goal himself, blazing over the bar.
Bath made a fantastic fingertip save to deny Daniel Mead his first goal of the season. Having received the ball from the chest of Cracknell, Mead made himself space to get the shot in, but saw his fierce effort well kept out by Bath.
In the final effort of the game, Garry Cook came close to repeating his Stotfold scoring act, diving onto Cracknell's free-kick but seeing his effort shave the top of the crossbar.
Another welcome three-points for Aylesbury then, but Danny Nicholls will know his side will have tougher tests to come if they are to fulfill their play-off aspirations. Most likely starting at Tiverton on Wednesday night, who have only lost twice at home all season. If the Ducks can pull off the win though, they'll be joint top with Chippenham and Bedford, and what a turnaround in fortunes that would be!
