Aylesbury returned from the long trip to Sudbury on the end of a 5-2 defeat as the Suffolk side completed a rather comfortable double over the Ducks.
United made the trip with heavily depleted ranks ? with the likes of Ansell, Harewood, Nash, Newby, O?Grady and Silvestri all out injured ? yet, bizarrely, still managed to name a team with three internationals in the squad! Sappleton of Jamaica, soon-to-be capped Bangladesh forward Shiblu Miah, and Bulgarian under-21 player Ivalo Dimistrov who made his Aylesbury debut. There was also a first start for Richard Pringle since returning to the club.
Sudbury got off to the perfect start when they took the lead after just four minutes. A quick counter-attack saw the Yellows flooding forward before Craig Hammond squared for strike partner Craig Hughes who couldn?t miss from five-yards out. 1-0 Sudbury
The makeshift line-up of the visitors was showing all the expected unfamiliarity with Tyrone Taylor lining up in defence, and Sudbury were reaping the rewards and looked a threat as they attacked at will for much of the first half.
On seven minutes Clarke and Emmanuel linked up well with the latter?s dangerous ball into the box missed by both Hughes at the near post and the sliding Hammond at the far.
The home fans only had to wait another few minutes before a second goal did arrive though, as a throw-in was worked across to Hughes who cut the ball back to Emmanuel who buried a low shot past Sillitoe from just inside the box. 2-0 Sudbury
Aylesbury could have been dead and buried at this point, but they refused to let their heads drop completely and instead hit an immediate response. Taylor brought the ball out of defence before playing a nice through ball which found Miah running through, just beating the offside trap, and finishing well past Wilmot when one-on-one. 1-2
The goal may have brought United back within touching distance of their hosts, but the two sides were still a world apart as the Yellows continued fashioning a number of wasted chances.
Another counter-attack set Hughes away but he could only roll a shot all the way across goal, then moments later he was set free again as United?s lack of defensive cohesion was woefully exposed but the striker could only fire straight at Sillitoe.
Things were to continue in much the same vein, as the game turned into something of a shooting practice session for Sudbury ? the evidence very much suggesting they needed some!
An air kick by Taylor let Hughes play the ball over the top for Hammond to this time run through, but he lashed his shot wide and Sam Clarke then followed suit with a wayward low drive having been urged to shoot from the sidelines.
Sillitoe was at least called into the effort just prior to the half hour mark as Hammond?s low effort skipped up off the surface and had to be tipped wide. From the resulting corner the ball was eventually played to Emmanuel and he squared to Clarke who smashed over.
There was then a rare Aylesbury attempt which fell to Pringle who chested down Ashleigh James? free-kick delivery before hitting a volley straight at Wilmot; not one of his better efforts.
Aylesbury grew in stature in the minutes leading up to half time, with Taylor going close having wriggled free in the box but seeing his shot deflected narrowly wide, which prompted three United corners in succession but nothing more.
In stoppage time Sudbury went close again when Darg met Heath?s free-kick but could only nod wide of the target, as another good chance went amiss.
Half-time: Sudbury 2-1 Aylesbury
After the break it was more of the same, five minutes in Hammond broke free onto a long clearance from Wilmot?s hands and momentarily had the better of last man James but the defender recovered to deflect the shot wide.
A couple more United half chances then came and went. Firstly Lewis McBride, handed his full debut, got into a position to shoot but his low shot across goal was easily fielded by Wilmot. Two minutes later the same player fed Miah but he was pushed too wide and his chipped effort was comfortable for the experienced custodian.
If it hadn?t already been, the win was secured for Sudbury with a third goal on 57 minutes. A Haynes-Brown throw-in was helped on by Hughes and Hammond struck a crisp shot into the net. 3-1 Sudbury
As the old adage goes ?you wait an age for one, then three arrive at once? and it was certainly true for Hammond who had at last opened his account for Sudbury since joining on-loan from Histon, and within fourteen minutes he?d grabbed a hat trick.
Before that though, the Ducks had a moment of their own as substitute Dan Parsons played a neat one-two before dribbling for goal but his finish didn?t match what had gone before and trickled tamely wide.
The Yellows increased their lead when Taylor failed to clear and was robbed by Hughes who played Hammond in and he sidestepped his marker before finishing exquisitely into the corner with a bending effort. 4-1 Sudbury
Heath blasted a shot which was turned wide by Sillitoe and Hughes lashed a shot over on the volley, before Hammond struck again after good work by substitute Jemel Fox who was put away down the left and crossed low where the rangy number 10 was waiting to tap home. 5-1 Sudbury
At the other end Ayodele had a shot blocked, Oxley fired over, and Joyce struck a free-kick straight down the throat of the keeper having entered the fray, but long range efforts were about all United had to shout about.
Heath had two shots in quick succession, the first blocked and the second over the bar, before Aylesbury pulled another goal back. Pringle took a long ball on his chest and turned Brown giving himself a clear run at goal then going on to shoot right into the far corner, just out of Wilmot?s reach. 2-5
There were still a couple more decent chances for the home side to add a sixth, Hughes turning a shot wide at full stretch, then the same man hitting the face of the upright full on having been played in by Swain, but Sudbury had to be content with five in the end.
