Aylesbury's Premier Division status was left hanging by a thread after the Ducks lost yet again at the New Eyrie, and Northwood beat Cheshunt. The results means United are certain to finish in the bottom four, and now trail 19th placed Wood by 5 points.
The Ducks kept the same team that battled for a point at Tiverton, and once again they showed great determination to come back from the setback of conceding the first goal, but on this occasion spirit wasn't enough. Conviction in front of goal was the required ingredient, but it was sadly amiss.
Bedford should have taken the lead inside five minutes, when Chris Dillon found his strike partner Rene Howe inside the area. The latter found himself free with only Reece Kirk to beat, but his shot was straight at the Aylesbury stopper.
At the other end Leon Gutzmore, once a ?6,000 signing by the Eagles, tried an early half-volley after Richard Pringle flicked the ball onto him, but his effort was easy for Ian Brown to gather.
Howe had another good chance, this time on the end of a Dillon cross, but he directed the ball wide under pressure from Justin Gordon.
United's strikers then attempted to threaten Brown's goal, firstly Pringle unleashed a volley wide after the ball dropped to him from Gutzmore's aerial challenge. Next his strike partner smashed a shot over the bar.
The deadlock was broken after 21 minutes, Chris Dillon rising highest to nod home a right-wing cross. 1-0 Bedford
Bedford's lead only lasted two minutes though, Aylesbury refusing to let the goal affect them. A deep free-kick was headed on by Matt Hayward, and Brown couldn't claim the ball under pressure from Gutzmore, who headed goalwards and the ball dropped over the line. 1-1
The home side had the better of the remaining first half chances. Veteran Mike Ford headed a free-kick over the bar, and Craig Rydeheard went close with a rasping drive that shaved the crossbar.
Just before the interval Bedford launched a flowing counter-attack which culminated in Dillon squaring the ball for Howe in the area. The big striker fell over the ball, but managed to squeeze it to Carl Williams, who saw his effort well saved by Kirk.
Half-time: Bedford 1-1 Aylesbury
Early in the second half Bedford made a tactical switch, bringing on Eddie Lawley and changing to a 3-5-2 system. The move gave the Eagles midfield superiority, and they had Aylesbury on the backfoot almost immediately.
Rydeheard had the first chance, running through but shooting straight at keeper Reece Kirk.
Bedford equalised eleven minutes into the half, from another header. A left-wing free-kick was glanced home by former Northampton man Tom Bonner. 2-1 Bedford
There was still plenty of time for Aylesbury to force themselves back into the game though, and Gutzmore tried for goal with a volley which zipped just over the bar.
Neil Trebble made a double substitute, replacing both his wingers with fresh legs, Aston Goss and Bilal Hassan replacing Nick Jackson and Damon Ming.
The game was almost end to end by this point, as Lawley hit an early effort wide across goal after the ball had been lobbed through to him. Pringle then headed a Matt Butler corner straight at Brown.
Gutzmore had the best chance to grab an equaliser, after a rare off-moment by the Bedford defence allowed the ball to bobble through to him, but he could only place his effort over the bar.
More sustained pressure from the Ducks eventually resulted in Kyle Kilmartin driving the ball wide, whilst at the other end a dipping volley drew a superb save from Reece Kirk. Minutes later Howe connected with a cross, but his header bounced off the turf and over the crossbar.
Another gilt-edged chance came the way of Aylesbury as the game entered the final fifteen minutes. Gutzmore played the ball in, Goss let it run, but the arriving Justin Gordon could only skew his shot high and wide.
The closing moments belonged to the Eagles though, who had introduced fresh legs to their attack against the tired United defence. Lawley headed straight at Kirk. Ian Draycott then raced clear of an attack oriented backline, but saw his shot stopped well by Kirk. The ball fell to Howe, but his effort went wide.
Full time shortly followed, and United's fans were left to wonder whether they'll ever see Aylesbury get a result from the New Eyrie.
Bedford have now booked their place in the play-offs, and booked Aylesbury's place in the bottom four. A defeat on Monday at the hands of Northwood, and it'll be curtains for Aylesbury's short second spell in the Southern League Premier Division.
