Following 2 consecutive 3-1 home defeats in which the team have failed to take advantage of the chances created, Tony Joyce rang the changes for today?s match. In came Jamie O?Grady, Warren Garcia, Joey Acheampong and skipper Paul Edgeworth. Left out were Lewis Christon, presumably unavailable, Carl Clay, Ben Baines and Joel McCormick, the last 3 taking their place on the subs bench. The loss of Christon meant Gordon again partnered Mulholland at centre back, with O?Grady filling in at left back. The formation also showed some change, a fluid 4-5-1 with Edgeworth and Coulter providing support to Acheampong regularly from the flanks, allowing the Ducks to switch seamlessly to 4-3-3 when attacking.

The team started the game well, taking the initiative in the early stages, no doubt mindful that we had conceded first in the last 4 games. The first chance fell to Acheampong after 12 minutes; Craig Townsend won the ball with a strong tackle in the centre circle and fed the striker just outside the penalty area. After looking up he curled a shot which just passed to the right hand side of the goal. The travelling faithful didn?t have long to wait for the opening goal, and a good one it was; after 17 minutes a surging run down the left flank by Rob Kean was followed by a cute pass inside to Warren Garcia on the edge of the penalty area who evaded his defenders and placed a shot into the bottom right hand corner.

The bonus of taking the lead in a game for the first time in 4 games allowed confidence to spread through the team, and 5 minutes later Edgeworth was close to extending the lead with a header which went just wide from a deep free kick from Gordon. It was pretty much one way traffic by this stage, with Jack Sillitoe having little to do in goal. The first attempt the home team had on goal came in the 29th minute. Aaron Lansiquot went on a tricky run beating 2 or 3 defenders and managed to get a powerful shot away which went narrowly wide of the right post. However, the second Aylesbury goal wasn?t long in coming. Another long free kick from Gordon was headed on by Jack Wood to Acheampong, who got to the by line and squared it across the area where Edgeworth was in the right place to ensure the Ducks doubled their lead. As the half drew to a close, Hillingdon tried hard to get back in the game. A soft free kick was conceded on the edge of the area from which Eddie Clements shot disappointingly over the bar. The half finished with the first yellow card of the match, Aaron Silcott incurring the wrath of referee Starr when he took Acheampong out with a late tackle on the half way line.

In an attempt to get back into the game, the Hillingdon manager Gary Meakin made 2 substitutions at the start of the second half. Ryan Welsh and Ollie Hawkins came on for Andrew Harewood and Stephan O?Brien in an attempt to improve his side?s attacking threat. Straight away it was obvious that the defence would have a different challenge on their hands, Hawkins playing up front and equalling Mulholland for height. The pattern of the game changed in the first quarter of the second half, with Hillingdon pressing the Ducks defence, which held on resolutely, protecting their goal with some comfort despite the pressure exerted by the attack. On 66 minutes, Acheampong won a header and the ball fell to Edgeworth 20 yards from goal, but his shot was lifted over the bar. Just 2 minutes later, a long throw by Wood was again flicked on by the lively Acheampong but as it flashed across the goal Edgeworth was unable to get the decisive touch. The third and best goal of the game followed in the 78th minute. A long throw from O?Grady was helped on by Edgeworth into the stride of Kean who hit an unerring first time volley across Bufton in the home goal into the right hand corner of the net.

On 84 minutes, the game saw its first real flash point. Silcott made a rash challenge on Jamie O?Grady with studs showing. The referee was in no doubt that it was a second yellow, much to the anger of the offending defender, who was forthright in showing the official his opinion. He was joined by his manager in arguing with the ref, who subsequently sent him ?to the stands? for the remainder of the game - in effect he merely moved behind the barriers to the side of where he had been standing all through the game!

As the game drew to a close, Aylesbury made 3 late substitutions, bringing on Baines, McCormick and Jones for the last few minutes in place of the hard working Coulter, Acheampong and Garcia. There was still time for the Ducks to have further chances to extend their lead, with Edgeworth and substitute Daniel Jones both going close. After an extended period of added on time, referee Starr blew his whistle to confirm what had been a very comfortable victory for the Ducks against a team who on paper were of similar quality. Unfortunately for them on the day they were faced by a determined opposition team intent on getting back on a winning run following two disappointing recent reversals.

With thanks to Ian Pluck for this match report