Aylesbury?s first ever visit to St. Ives Town ended in disappointment and an end to any dreams of an FA Vase run with elimination courtesy of a 2-1 defeat.

The Ducks? up and down form continued and a sloppy first half performance was punished with the concession of two very poor goals, leaving a second half mountain to climb which ultimately proved too tall despite Lea Coulter?s wonderful strike pulling a goal back.

After an even opening five minutes St. Ives launched into an early lead. The tricky Ozie Foster delivered a cross-shot which Sillitoe could only tip onto the post and as the ball rebounded to Liam Reed he found no defenders around with time and space to fire home. 1-0 St. Ives

Aylesbury had barely started but they could have been further behind within seconds. Foster beat his man on the right before playing a low cross which was met by Dan Matson but fortunately he shot straight at Sillitoe.

Two minutes later Matson hammered a drive over after the ball was slipped inside to him after John Mulholland failed to clear as United?s shakiness continued.

On 14 minutes the Ducks had their first sniff of goal as Jack Wood was fouled just outside the area, but Paul Edgeworth?s free-kick was fired directly into the midriff of the home goalkeeper.

That was followed by a half-chance for Lea Coulter who ran onto Edgeworth helping the ball on and outpaced the defence to go one-on-one but his early attempted chip was miss hit straight into the grateful arms of Niall Conroy-Owen.

It was Mulholland who had Aylesbury?s first genuine clear sight of goal when a free-kick was flicked into the path of the big defender. His low shot was heading towards the target but inadvertently turned wide by the inrushing Edgeworth.

United were exposed again on the half hour mark as Ricky Dear broke forward to slide in a hook a shot beyond Sillitoe but could only find the side netting. Two minutes later another exceptional whipped delivery from Foster was headed wide by Matson.

The pressure eventually told though as the home side doubled their lead moments later. A free-kick for offside was taken long by Conroy-Owen and as United?s defence got themselves in a muddle and were unable to clear, Reed pounced to score. 2-0 St. Ives

There was little more first half action to follow, although the Ducks did leave the field on a slightly more positive note as they finally managed to string a few passes around just before the interval which ended in Mulholland cracking a long shot over the bar.

Half-time: St. Ives Town 2-0 Aylesbury

If Aylesbury were to find a way back into the match it was imperative they scored early, and the Ducks marked their intentions early on as Garcia?s whipped ball into the box was missed by inches by the diving Edgeworth.

But it continued to be the hosts who had the clearer openings and Foster volleyed a good effort just wide of the upright as a throw-in was helped on his way. Sillitoe was then called upon to make a fine save and tip the ball over from Dear?s rising drive.

The ponderous Lewis Christon was then caught in possession by two closing down St. Ives attackers to set up a one-on-one which Sillitoe saved well from, with the resulting corner kick flashed in from the left before being cleared off the line.

United were hanging on, but a change of shape with the introduction of Joey Acheampong to the attack lead to a brief spell of pressure. Robbie Kean went on a fine dribble before seeing his arrowed drive blocked in the box, before Coulter headed straight at the keeper from 5-yards out after Edgeworth had flicked the ball to him.

Matson should have put the game beyond Aylesbury in the 65th minute as he turned a driven free-kick wide at the far post, but instead the Ducks managed to pull a goal back and give themselves a way back into proceedings.

Lea Coulter picked the ball up on the left touchline and, in typical fashion, he cut inside his man before curling an exquisite shot past the despairing dive of Conroy-Owen and just inside the near post. 1-2

Unfortunately, the effort was a ?goal out of nothing? and wasn?t indicative of the direction the game was going as, despite the faint whiff of a comeback, Aylesbury were unable to make much more impression on the home side?s defence.

That was until the 84th minute when they came close once more through Mulholland who got up to head Garcia?s corner only to see his effort headed off the line.

In the final five minutes, aside from one Garcia curling shot which just missed the target, it was St. Ives who were the more likely scorers as they had three good chances to add a third to their tally as United desperately pushed forwards.

Ozie Foster beat Sillitoe on 85 minutes but saw his shot come back off the post having been played in by Reed at the end of the familiar counter-attacking sight that St. Ives had become.

Three minutes later Declan Rogers was put clean through but Sillitoe was there to save from the one-on-one, and, in stoppage time, Reed wasted a glorious chance for his hat-trick when he blazed over the bar having been played in by substitute Scott Fielding.

It wasn?t the ending Aylesbury wanted as they weren?t even able to throw the kitchen sink at their hosts who were able to see out the remainder of the match in relative comfort, and those FA Vase hopes will have to wait for another time.