Aylesbury made it to the Berks & Bucks Cup Final, and a tie with Wycombe Wanderers at The Causeway Stadium, at the expense of their other Buckinghamshire rivals Chesham United.
The Ducks had to dig deep for their third 2-1 victory over the Generals of the season after the visitors equalised Paul Lamb's early goal and Matt Hayward's second half dismissal.
In the early stages Aylesbury were flying and looked set for a much easier win. Jamie Kearns had an effort saved by Jackson's legs in the very first minutes, and Kai Ridley headed a corner-kick wide of the post.
Andy Reilly's drilled effort went wide for Chesham, but it was Aylesbury who took a deserved early lead. An excellent team move culminated in Mead breaking away down the left, steering a fine cross into the path of Lamb, who side-footed the ball into the net. 1-0 Aylesbury
Matt Hayward, overdue a goal after his early season flurry, headed a good chance from a corner wide as Aylesbury pushed for a second. Jamie Kearns hit the bar with a great looping effort from distance, after Drew Roberts' run had opened up the space for him to have a crack.
Roberts went on the run again, menacing the Chesham defence with his pace once more. This time he went for goal himself with a speculative 25-yard effort, but Jackson was up to the test and managed to tip the ball away.
Unfortunately Aylesbury were found guilty of not taking the chances presented to them, and this seemed to fire the Generals on and they raised their game accordingly. Liam Folds made a fantastic sliding challenge to deny Gary Sippetts and almost certain goal, picking up an injury in the process.
There was nothing the defender could do to prevent Chesham's equaliser though. Andre Scarlett skipped away down the right-flank and whipped in a neat delivery for veteran John Lawford to convert at the near post. 1-1
Fotheringham fired an effort wide having worked himself a shooting chance, and Lawford had a curling free-kick easily held by Rashid late in the half. There was just time for Drew Roberts to head goalwards before Mr Scott blew for the interval.
Half-time: Chesham 1-1 Aylesbury
Ben Hammond replaced Greg Williams at half-time, but events dictated that his debut only last twenty minutes...
Chesham came out fighting in the second half, keeping the bulk of posession and it was they who looked most likely to score a second. The Country End crossbar was rattled for the second time of the evening, as a corner was headed smack against the woodwork with Rashid floundering.
As the game opened up Roberts again used his pace to take the ball down the left, and his low cross was beaten away by Jackson before it could reach the run of Kearns.
Andy Reilly did well to win the ball back on the near touchline, and play a brilliant ball forward to Scarlett whose fierce shot was well kept out by Rashid at his near-post.
Danny Nicholls gameplan was altered somewhat when Matt Hayward was dismissed twenty minutes into the second-half, for tangling with Sippetts contesting an aerial ball. Hammond was sacrificed for defender Andrew Hodges.
Before Chesham could make use of their man advantage, they found themselves a goal-down again. Daniel Mead curled in a dangerous free-kick, which was nodded home by Liam Folds. 2-1 Aylesbury
Rashid made another good near-post save, this time to deny Lawford who had crept in unnoticed, whilst French's free-kick was headed wide by Folds for the Ducks.
More dramatic scenes came five minutes before full-time, as Chesham had a goal disallowed. A fantastic curled free-kick effort was ruled out by Mr Scott as he had not given the go ahead for the kick to be ticken.
To compund the General's misery, Stuart Hole was dismissed late on having been shown his second yellow card.
The final whistle soon sounded, and there was joy etched on the faces of every Aylesbury player, fan and official, as they can look forward to a Cup Final Day Out at Wycombe Wanderers - but not before the conclusion of the play-off race.
