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Aylesbury United made the short trip across town to Aylesbury Vale (formerly Haywood United), in the Reverse of last season's friendly.

The second meeting between the two sides was closer than previously, although it had threatened to be a goal glut after United scored an early goal which was cancelled out five minutes later by Vale.

Some posession from the Ducks lead to Kearns breaking down the right-flank, before laying a low ball across the area which was left by Drew Roberts and finished with aplomb by Neil Lazarus. 1-0 Aylesbury

Just two minutes later ex-Duck Stuart Corbould missed a great chance to level having been picked out by a raking pass which left Aylesbury's defence wide open.

Vale did level after 13 minutes. After the Ducks' move forward had broken down, a quick ball over the top left Danny Jones free and he lobbed the stranded Styles beautifully from some distance. 1-1

Goalkeeper Paul Tillen made a good diving save to deny Gavin Jaggard's header, after the midfielder had been picked out by Roberts' pinpoint pass, before Matt Hayward pulled a shot wide from the resultant corner.

Vale had the angle of post and bar to thank for keeping the scores level moments later. Roberts had the ball threaded to him by Daniel Mead, and the striker beat his man and curled the ball goalwards, but his shot smacked against the woodwork.

United kept up the pressure without reward, Edgeworth just failing to connect with a Lazarus cross and Darran Hay attempting an ambitious bicycle kick which trickled wide. The striker then tried a speculative 20-yarder which caused Tillen few problems.

Vale squandered three gilt-edged chances to take the lead in the final five minutes of the half. Firstly Styles came out of his goal but was rounded, and as the ball was played into the box Glen Hawkins slotted wide with the goal vacant. Vale's earlier goalscorer Jones was the second guilty party, shooting off-target after Styles could only half-clear a hanging cross.

Just before the whistle for the interval sounded, Darran Hay poked an effort over the bar at full stretch, after the busy Jaggard had outmuscled his opponent to win the ball back just outside the area.

Half-time: Aylesbury Vale 1-1 Aylesbury United

The second half was a less lively affair, for much of the time the game was flat and punctuated by stoppages for some over physical play from both sides, as well as the customary pre-season substitutions.

Vale's second-half goalkeeper Lee Adams did just as good a job of keeping Aylesbury at bay as Tillen had in the first period. 12 minutes into his half he superbly saved a towering header from Gavin Jaggard.

The best chance of a winner fell to Aylesbury midway through the second half, but Adams once again proved unbeatable. Jaggard played Roni Joe away down the right-flank, and the winger came inside but saw his effort well parried away. Aston Goss reached the rebound, but Adams again saved.

At the other end a chance for Hayward saw Paul Talbot have a shot deflected wide, and in the last five minutes the same player fired over after United's defence had been left exposed and a cross was flicked on to him.

The game finished 1-1 with no further goals, and something of an anti-climax following the early flurry of scoring.