As if crashing to their heaviest defeat of the season 3 days earlier at home to Tiverton wasn't enough, the resignation of both Manager Danny Nicholls and Assistant Manager Kevin England and several key players leaving meant a much changed Ducks line-up against Merthyr Tydfil.

Youth team manager Gary Crawshaw was put in charge for the evening and several youth team players drafted in, as well as ex player and now Chelsea Academy coach Richard Horner. Although United worked hard, they came out second best to a Martyrs team who continued their good run of results away to Aylesbury - the Welshmen now having won 4, drawn 1 and lost 1 of their 6 visits to Aylesbury, dating back to season 1982-83.

The Ducks were further handicapped in just the 11th minute when John Lawford pulled up injured chasing a through ball and was replaced by young Karl Tadman, one of 4 youth team players on the bench. What was probably United's first serious chance came in the 14th minute. Keiron Schmidt cut in from the left and fed Aston Goss who turned Steve Williams and ran towards the byeline before Adrian Needs got in a great tackle for a corner which came to nothing.

Four minutes later Leon Gordon robbed Paul Keddle on the right touchline half way inside the Merthyr half and cut into the area before curling a low shot past the far post. In the 19th minute Merthyr's Garry Shepherd fired over without troubling United keeper Sam Styles, then in the 27th minute John De Souza got in a great block in the area to deny Shepherd.

A great chance came The Ducks' way in the 34th minute when De Souza's through ball found Goss who exchanged passes with Gordon before Goss's shot skewed accross goal to Schmidt, whose weak effort was saved by Merthyr keeper Ashley Morris at the far post. Merthyr's Mike Fowler became the first of 2 names in referee Mr J Connolly's notebook for a challenge on Gordon as we moved into stoppage time at the end of the half.

Then in the 48th minute Merthyr had a possible shout for a penalty. A cross from the left by Keddle was headed only partly clear to Jason Welsh whose overhead kick possibly hit a United player (possibly Rob Gould) on the hand/arm but the referee appeared unsighted and waved away their claims. Dane Williams was shown a yellow card for protesting.

Then in the 65th minute Gethyn Jones' corner from the right was headed wide by Needs before Shepherd's header from a Fowler corner was headed off the line at the far post by Danny Mead on 67. Just 2 minutes later Merthyr were ahead when Fowler's through ball over the top picked out Dane Williams and he calmly tucked his shot past Styles.

United brought on Kyle Kilmartin (for Richard Horner) in the 70th minute and he had a real baptism of fire as with virtually his first tackle he lost a contact lens. Then on 72 minutes Jonathan Bewers crossed from the left and Kilmartin headed past the far post. Dane Williams' shot was saved at the near post by Styles on 75 minutes before Ryan Dorrian's shot across goal went not far past the far post on 77.

Merthyr's second goal came in the 88th minute when Welsh's through ball to the left of the penalty area found Shepherd who lifted his shot over Styles at the near post.

So another defeat for The Ducks who will now have to hope they can get something out of their trip to Chesham United next Tuesday (27th December).

The Aylesbury United Man of the Match award was given, not as usual to one individual, but on this occasion to the whole team.