Half an hour was on gone when the Ducks found themselves two goals down and things looking bleak. Mark Jones' strike, only his second ever goal in an Aylesbury shirt, gave hope but nobody could have predicted what was to follow, as United scored an amazing four goals a nine-minute spell in the second half to complete a remarkable turnaround.

United's start to the game left a lot to be desired and although they were keeping the ball well enough, a number of players looked like they were out for an afternoon stroll in the sunshine.

With Atherstone playing downhill and the wind in their favour, Aylesbury struggled every time the ball was played towards them in the opening stages. On 14 minutes Matt Brown beat Mark Boyce rather too easily before tumbling over a mistimed Kavanagh challenge and Daniel Gaunt stepped up to convert the afternoon's first penalty. 1-0

The Ducks finally managed to turn their possession into a chance midway through the half, but it was wasted by Ross Lafayette who fired a low effort right across goal from close range.

One then became two for the home side as Brown again got the ball down and ran at United's defence, going between both centre backs before being hauled back by Ross Taylor, who as the last man might have been considered lucky to only receive a caution. This time it was Micky Carter who sent Vincent the wrong way from the spot. 2-0

Aylesbury had reason for hope just six minutes later when Jones, giving an inspired display in central midfield, popped up with a rare goal to finish a great team move. Swonnell spread the ball wide for Mead and his near post cross was miss-hit by Hawkins but Jones nipped in to divert the ball home. 2-1

The Ducks might well have levelled just before half-time when Hawkins headed Jones' cross over the bar from point blank range, after the United assistant manager retrieved the ball once a shot from Nathan Graham had spun out wide.

Carter had the last effort of the half when he forced Vincent to make a save with a low effort which took a slight deflection, but it was a fair routine take for the keeper in the end.

Half-time: Atherstone 2-1 Aylesbury

Both sides made a change at the interval, Steve Miles replacing Carl Kavanagh for Aylesbury, and Scott Goodwin coming on for Daniel Gaunt for Atherstone ? no doubt coming as something of a relief for Mark Boyce who had been terrorised by the tricky Gaunt throughout the first half.

Goodwin's first telling contribution was to take down Nathan Graham as he tried to accelerate away from the defence. Mead took the free-kick and although it wasn't the best, the ball spooned off the body of veteran keeper Dale Belford where Hawkins had followed up to score. 2-2

It marked the beginning of the amazing Aylesbury goal spree as the Ducks began to lay in to their opponents. Two minutes later Graham went close after Miles' ball into the box was headed across goal by Hawkins before being volleyed wide by the arriving number 9.

United didn't have to wait long before they had the lead. Jones played a square ball to Boyce who took aim and fired in an arrowed drive from a full 30-yards which snuggled into the bottom left corner, grazing the post past Belford's despairing dive. A stunning effort. 2-3

Stunned is what Atherstone certainly were and they had no answer as the Ducks came forward again. Boyce turned provider this time when he delivered a perfect cross which was met with an equally perfect header from Graham, dropping neatly in off the far post. 2-4

As if that wasn't enough, Hawkins capped it all with another outrageously good finish seconds later when he showed some great touches to control and bring the ball forward before firing in an unstoppable low effort beyond Belford and inside the far post. 2-5

That was the fourth goal in a mad nine minutes since Hawkins had scored his first. This really was another to add to the list of fabled 'you had to be there to believe it' matches of Aylesbury United's history.

Another chance fell the way of Lafayette when he took the ball through the defence, but his dinked finish dropped wide of the target.

He came closer still as Aylesbury sensed a sixth goal was in the offing. This time his well struck shot on the turn cannoned back off the crossbar as his bad luck in front of goal in green and white continued.

There was still time for the home side to reduce the arrears late in the day. Brown got his reward for his good work earlier in the match as he applied the faintest of touches to a near post free-kick to take the ball past Vincent and into the net. 3-5

With their playoff matches coming up, Atherstone had rested their entire team for this game, and may well use that as an excuse for their capitulation. Yet if these were players playing for their place in the team, or for their futures at the club, then manager Jimmy Ginnelly probably wouldn't have been too impressed.

For Aylesbury, this was a pleasing end to a long, hard campaign which has been fraught with challenges. The off-season will be a period for reflection, and inevitable ?what if's', most notably had the best players been fit for the entire season, then maybe the Ducks would have been joining Atherstone in the playoffs.