Russell Bull's stoppage time tap-in condemned Aylesbury to a fourth straight defeat as their slump in form hit a new low point with the visit of relegation threatened Barton Rovers.
The Ducks had to add Carl Kavanagh to their already large injury list as he was a late withdrawal in the build-up to the game, with Ross Lafayette restored to the starting line-up as his replacement.
It meant a team lacking defensive balance took to the field and it showed from the start as Aylesbury struggled for shape with so many forward thinking players on the pitch.
Sadly, the spectacle didn't match the glorious Buckinghamshire sunshine, but the Ducks had the first chance after a minute when Nathan Graham drove wide at the near post after his fellow restored strike partner Glen Hawkins had touched the ball down to him.
Ross Hanley went for goal in ambitious style for Barton's first effort of the game, an easy catch for Tom Vincent.
As game drifted along slowly Barton had a goal chalked off on 17 minutes when Ashley Harewood was adjudged to have impeded Vincent as his throw-out hit the Barton man before rebounding back into the net.
Half chances were as good as things got for either side, although Barton were having the greater share of what was available at this point. A training ground corner was met by Alex O'Brien on the edge of the area and volleyed well wide, then Mark Boyce got back well to block off former United player Nathan Liburd who had momentarily run clean through.
Nathan Graham forced the first serious save from a goalkeeper when his header was blocked by Aaron Fletcher after a deep cross was headed back across goal by Chris Marsh.
The chances continued in tit-for-tat manner as O'Brien fired in a long range effort which dropped just past Vincent's post, then Daniel Mead fired a free-kick into the wall at the other end after a foul on Lafayette.
Aylesbury ended the half on top, but still struggled to make their attacks count. Butler had a shot on the turn deflected wide after good play from Hawkins, and from the following corner kick Lafayette headed clean over the bar, before Roberts sliced a shot wide just before the break.
Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Barton Rovers
United tried to make a positive start to the second half, and from so good build up play after a free-kick the ball was eventually crossed in by Butler and met by Lafayette, requiring a tip over from Fletcher.
The match was to continue in similar vein; only one side was creating chances, yet even with so many strikers involved Aylesbury had seemingly forgotten how to find a way through to goal.
Ross Taylor met a free-kick but his header was straight at the keeper, then Chris Marsh had a good chance after arriving on the end of a long delivery but could only find the side netting with his shot.
The closest United came to breaking the deadlock came fifteen minutes from the end. A through ball released Hawkins who held the ball up before cutting it back for Nathan Graham, whose low shot was well blocked in the area. The ball was eventually worked back to Marsh whose shot dipped just over the bar.
Youth Team striker Sam Ward entered the fray for the remainder of the game to increase the number of forwards on the pitch still further, and with Aylesbury's switch to a three-man backline coincided the start of some late pressure from the visitors.
Substitute Russell Preston was a regular threat, and the Ducks had Boyce to thank again for a desperate recovering challenge to keep him at bay after a square ball had found Preston unmarked.
That should have acted as a wakeup call for Aylesbury, but Preston was at it again moments later, this time turning provider and providing a fine delivery which was headed just wide by Bull at the far post.
Aylesbury posed one further moment of threat when Mead's dangerous inswinging free-kick just needed a touch, but curled narrowly past the far post beyond everybody and out of play.
Having taken some stick from the home crowd over the course of the game, Bull was fired up and proving a menace as the match drew to a close. He won a corner for his side having gone clean through and seen his shot nick off Tom Vincent, and from the set play he couldn't keep his header down.
Then, in stoppage time, he made his mark as disaster struck for United. An attacker brought the ball in from the right flank and, with the Aylesbury defence outnumbered, went for goal with a low effort which Vincent was unable to hold onto, allowing Bull to pounce and tap in to the empty net. 0-1
Defeat was harsh on the Ducks who had been the better team for much of the second half, but once again looked short on ideas in front of goal and ultimately paid the price.
