Aylesbury?s tricky looking start to the season continued with a trip to another of the league?s fancied sides in near neighbours Tring Athletic, who finished 3rd last season.
Despite their close proximity the two teams have never met in competitive action, and after an entertaining game two late goals ensured it was Tring who took all three points despite a gutsy performance from Aylesbury which saw them twice come from behind.
United were still without their attacking summer signings of Edgeworth, Baines and Acheampong, whilst Leon Gordon was also unavailable but it was at the other end where their main struggles were on the night.
They were left hopelessly exposed with just four minutes on the clock as former United winger Nick Jackson made beating his man look easy on the left flank before getting in a telling cross which was fired home by Ryan Redford. 1-0 Tring
Tring were seemingly able to cut Aylesbury apart at will and the massed travelling supporters in a healthy crowd at Cow Lane watched on grimacing as another nice move ended with Chris Salmon hammering over the bar.
But then out of nowhere United found an equaliser. O?Grady?s long throw from the right was only half-cleared to the waiting Garcia who struck a left footed shot which snuck just inside the post and out of the goalkeeper?s reach. 1-1
With the goal coming against the run of play, it was little surprise that it was Tring who continued to have the chances on goal, with Iannonne slicing a shot badly wide of goal, before a swerving, dipping shot was saved by Sillitoe at the second attempt.
The hosts duly re-established their lead with the combination of Jackson and Redford again proving too much for United to handle, and although the defending could have been better it was a really well crafted goal. Redford dribbled all the way in from the right flank before spreading the ball wide for Jackson who, having beaten Clay rather easily, crossed for the on-running Redford to head home. 2-1 Tring
Five minutes later and Aylesbury had a rare chance which O?Grady really should have done better with as he could only find the far touchline with a shot from the corner of the six-yard box as a cross was flicked into his path.
The Ducks suddenly had their tails up though and 90 seconds later and Coulter managed to get in an effort with his back to goal which flew over the bar.
Then, the dangerous Garcia saw a well struck effort blocked en route to goal, before the same player fired an early effort straight at Underwood in the goal as yet another throw-in fell to him lurking on the edge of the area.
Jackson had the last say of the half as he twisted and turned his way towards the Aylesbury goal before his effort was superbly touched over by Sillitoe.
Half-time: Tring 2-1 Aylesbury
The second half was something of a different affair though, and although Tring showed some early threat with a Danny Gray free-kick which flashed across the face of goal, Aylesbury slowly began to take control of proceedings.
The midfield three finally began to make their numerical advantage count and stamp their authority on the game, and by doing so were able to play the ball around getting the wide men of O?Grady and Smith increasingly involved.
It was an O?Grady free-kick which set up Mullholland for the first United effort of the half, but his header was tame and straight at Underwood. Garcia then shot wide three minutes later when a pass to the overlapping O?Grady might have been the better option, but a midfielder willing to go for goal is certainly a welcome sight as far as Aylesbury are concerned.
Just before the hour mark James Nash made strides deep into the Tring area, and as the space opened up he continued on his run before producing a telling cross which Pringle was unable to convert.
Whilst that was a tough chance to take, Pringle?s next was nothing other than of the ?gilt edged? category. The impressive Lea Coulter?s deft flick set him away and with only Underwood to beat the big striker got the direction of his lob all wrong and the ball dropped well wide of the target.
There quickly followed a couple of efforts at the other end, which had been few and far between up to that point in the second half. Firstly Billy Osborne attempted an ambitious long range effort which flew well wide. Then, a deep cross from Redford found Gray at the far post but his shot was blocked by Toms.
Aylesbury were still on top and their pressure had to pay dividends, and eventually it did ? albeit with the aid of a penalty award by Mr Howes and although it was a clear handball it could be argued that ?ball to hand? applied. Either way, Pringle stepped up and struck the ball with such venom that Underwood had little chance of keeping it out even if he had got anywhere near. 2-2
It nearly got better for the Ducks as Wood flashed a shot wide two minutes later as the ball was chested down to him before Coulter dragged a shot wide of the near post from range.
Tring?s Rob Duncan nearly put through his own net in the 76th minute from a wicked cross into the box from the left, the ball just skimming past the upright.
Unfortunately, as seems to be an Aylesbury habit which is well overdue an ousting, United proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot. A corner kick was met by one of the smallest men on the pitch in when a corner kick resulted in a routine header to give Tring a 3-2 lead with just nine minutes remaining. 3-2 Tring
Aylesbury three on Ian Pearce and Tony Joyce but in doing so seemed to lose their shape and only one team looked like scoring in the closing stages as the Ducks ran out of steam.
A shot from the excellent Jackson cannoned back off Sillitoe before he denied Redford his hat-trick by saving in a one-on-one after the Tring forward had sprung the offside trap but couldn?t get past Sillitoe.
Tring were able to add some gloss to proceedings with a fourth in the last minute when Toms hauled down Redford in the area, allowing Tony Fields to step up and make no mistake from the penalty spot. 4-2 Tring
In the end it was a scoreline which didn?t do the Ducks justice and certainly didn?t tell the whole story of the game. But football is purely results driven and once again Aylesbury are left with an unwanted result.
However, they should take great heart from a much improved performance against one of the league?s stronger sides and were ultimately unlucky not to have come away with a point.
