Aylesbury continued their winning run with a strong 3-0 win at Rushall Olympic. This was a professional display from the Ducks, who made a fairly even match look like an easy win with three quality goals, each very different.
The first half saw the sides evenly matched for the first 25 minutes, both limited just to half chances. For Rushall Neil Barnfield and Leon Allen both hit shots well off target, whilst Luke Melisi, who was excellent throughout, also fired wildly over the bar at the other end.
The Pics went close in the 13th minute when defender Richard Brown curled a free-kick over the bar, but that was the closest either side came in the opening first half.
That all changed though on 31 minutes when Aylesbury, having visibly stepped up the pressure on Rushall in the five minutes prior to that, opened the scoring. A deep free-kick was dangerously swung in by Liam Smyth, and Enzo Silvestri directed a perfect header into the top corner. 1-0 Aylesbury
Rushall came close to equalising right on half-time when a free-kick was played back to Tim Jackson on the edge of the area, but his shot went all the way across goal and just wide of Tom Vincent's post.
Half-time: Rushall 0-1 Aylesbury
The second half was certainly more eventful, and Rushall quickly looked to put Aylesbury under pressure. A quick counter-attack after ten minutes saw Jackson played in after making an overlapping run, but he drove his effort straight at Vincent.
It was the home side who continued to pose the threat, a dangerous free-kick delivery was headed just over by Richard Brown. Rob Holdcroft also went close, firing wide from the edge of the area.
Rushall striker Neil Kitching will feel he really should have done better when he headed over a corner-kick from 10-yards when unmarked.
The Ducks then had their first attempt of the second period, Daniel Mead just unable to repeat his heroics of the previous Saturday, this time curling a free-kick over the bar after Melisi had been brought down.
A minute later a dangerous curling cross into the area was lost by Vincent under pressure, but the Aylesbury stopper recovered excellently to tip wide Lee Gough's follow-up effort.
Having come out of Rushall's dominant perioud unscathed, just a minute later Aylesbury put the game out of their opponent's reach with a second goal. Silvestri played in Melisi who outpaced the defence. His first shot was saved, but he calmly tucked in the rebound. 2-0 Aylesbury
Rushall responded by throwing on their new signing - veteran striker Chris Brindley, who only recently played against the Ducks for Stourport Swifts - but he had little time to make an impact.
Instead it was left to Kevin Mealor who certainly did make an impact as he got in behind Rushall's defence, before exquisitely lobbing goalkeeper Ryan Price from an impossible looking angle. A superb finish. 3-0 Aylesbury
To compound the hosts' misery Tim Jackson was shown a red card following the goal, presumably for abusing the far-side linesman as it was he who flagged for Mr Steans.
Aylesbury made changes, pacey forward Shaun Carr making his debut by replacing Melisi, and midfielder Danny Jones coming on for Ben Stevens.
Carr quickly got involved, when a quick counter saw the ball fed to him and he raced away before playing the ball left into the path of Jones, but the youngster's first-time shot skewed wide.
In the final few minutes Mealor tried his luck from range, but he dragged his low shot wide.
Time was quickly called on another win for United, as they continue their excellent run of form.
