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Aylesbury returned to winning ways and scored their first victory of 2008 with a deserved 2-0 result against Woodford United.

After setting up the Ducks' equaliser at Bedworth, Craig Henney was awarded his first start since October in place of Roni Joe. Woodford's team meanwhile featured ex-Ducks Kai Ridley, Paul Lamb and Neil King with manager Phil Mason naming himself as a substitute.

Following the loss of key players during the summer and recent budget cuts, Woodford looked a pale shadow of the team that looked like finishing in the playoffs last season, but still Aylesbury struggled to make an impact in a poor first half.

Woodford had the game's first effort when a corner found its way to King lurking on the edge of the box, but his shot was always going wide.

Aylesbury slowly began to find their feet and a quick counter set Nathan Graham on his way, but he couldn't get in a shot before being tackled. The ball broke to Kevin Mealor whose effort was deflected past the post.

The game was lacking in excitement and it took a further half hour for the next effort, Mealor on the end of a quickly taken free-kick move and his driven low cross was cleared off the line by Lamb.

In the last moments of the first period King saw a shot comfortably held by Vincent, and then with a slick move Henney picked out Ben Stevens running into the area but he could only shoot straight down the middle of the goal and Finlay saved.

Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Woodford

The second half began with King again running through but once more producing a shot of no real quality.

Aylesbury made a determined start and took the lead within two minutes. Andy Shed took the ball down the right and put in a pacey cross which Graham typically arrived at the far post to fire home. 1-0 Aylesbury

Woodford's best chance of the game came to former Aylesbury Vale man Glenn Hawkins, the ball falling at his feet inside the area at a corner kick but he smashed over.

On the hour mark Shed went on another dangerous dribble, the ball eventually coming back to Sam Swonnell who shot wide across goal.

The Ducks dominated possession but generally didn't use it well enough in the final third, and if they had could have been celebrating a win of a higher margin. One great spell of pressure ended with a header being cleared off the line after a number of prior crosses and blocks.

This was to be the pattern of the remainder of the game, Aylesbury creating, and failing to take, a number of chances.

Mealor had a free-kick easily claimed by Finlay, and the same player shot over the bar having turned smartly in the area shortly afterwards.

Nathan Graham had a great chance to finally settle things when he ran clean through on goal, but his finish wasn't up to his usual clinical standards and went wide of goal.

In the very last minute the game was wrapped up though, Henney scoring with a deflected effort after a quick counter attack to cap a decent performance. 2-0 Aylesbury

The goal rounded off a reasonable night's work from Aylesbury, and with no game on the forthcoming Saturday should come back refreshed and hungry to follow it up with another win against Cinderford Town.