Aylesbury?s return to action after the enforced ?winter break? didn?t go to plan as they were comprehensively beaten at league leaders Chalfont St. Peter and dropped to eighth in the table as a result.
Despite the scoreline, it seemed like the Saints sauntered their way through the match without ever getting out of second gear as United?s frailties ? particularly in defence ? were exposed for all to see.
Chalfont were on top from the opening stages and by the fifth minute had forced a number of corners and had a couple of efforts blocked.
The opener duly arrived on twelve minutes when Adam Louth?s inswinging free-kick was touched in by John Carroll who had popped up just in front of the helpless Sillitoe for his fifth goal of the season. 1-0 Chalfont
As the hosts kept up the pressure, Aylesbury were indebted to Sillitoe who made an impossible looking point blank save to deny Carroll again from close range following a corner kick.
It was Chalfont?s spellbinding counter-attacks which were a constant menace, and they turned Aylesbury?s first moment of attacking promise - a Garcia shot blocked by Williams ? into their favour and a second goal.
Breaking with breathtaking pace, the ball was quickly worked upfield before fed through to Charlie Strutton, who perfectly directed his shot past Sillitoe to open his account for the afternoon. 2-0 Chalfont
Aylesbury tried hard to find a way back into the game and had a decent spell heading towards the half-time break which began with Paul Edgeworth shooting just over on the turn after a throw in had dropped his way.
In stoppage time Ryan DaSilva ? who had struggled to make any impression in the match ? fed Lea Coulter and his shot crept just past the left upright.
Half-time: Chalfont 2-0 Aylesbury
Aylesbury reshuffled their pack at the break with Christian Tavernia replacing his young Luton colleague DaSilva in midfield, and the Ducks switching to a three-man defence. It was a risky strategy but at two-goals down the management team must have figured there was nothing to lose in going for goals.
Sadly, the changes didn?t help spark Aylesbury in to life, and had it not been for a combination of Sillitoe?s saves and Mulholland?s heroic defending, then the home side could have had more than the five they did score.
In the 48th minute another quick counter released Strutton and as Mulholland became the latest player to stumble on the poor surface he ran clean through but Sillitoe made a good save. Strutton reached the rebound first but could only turn the ball over.
The Chalfont chances continued to come as Ben Stack?s daisy-cutting low drive just missed the target, and Terrell Lewis headed a free-kick into the net but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Lewis was always a threat and he only had to wait five minutes before he claimed a goal for himself when, having been played in behind the defence, he cleverly lifted the ball over Sillitoe into the net. 3-0 Chalfont
A rare moment of threat from Aylesbury a minute later saw Garcia cross low for Edgeworth who hooked his shot just over the bar, before Mark Oliver was finally tested for the first time just past the hour mark when Ben Baines? header was superbly tipped over at point blank range.
For a brief spell it was end to end stuff as Lewis slammed a shot into the sidenetting at one end, before a corner kick was helped on by Tavernia then headed wide by Baines at the other.
It was Chalfont who kept up their control of the game though and they added a fourth with another counter-attacking goal with Aylesbury?s defence all at sea. Edgeworth?s chase of the ball on the right wing was quickly turned into a Saints attack and Strutton was away once more, rounding Sillitoe and slotting home. 4-0 Chalfont
After the home side had another goal disallowed for offside, Aylesbury had a rare effort of their own as Gordon had a free-kick routinely caught by Oliver in the goal.
The game was as stretched as at any point and whilst United?s defence looked vulnerable at any moment, the reds were generally looking resilient and Aylesbury only had a long range Garcia shot to show for their efforts whilst Chalfont went mightily close again through Lewis who had the whole goal to aim at and no defender anywhere near him but fired wide.
Strutton crowned his performance by completing his hat-trick and adding a fifth for his side a minute from time. Using his nous he left Gordon floundering in his wake and once again drew Sillitoe, who did well to save the initial effort, but the ball fell kindly for him to roll into the empty net. 5-0 Chalfont
That looked like that, but there was one last moment which at least brought some respite for the beleaguered Ducks? supporters who made up the majority of Chalfont?s largest crowd of the season when Lea Coulter drove the ball firmly into the net having been teed up six yards from goal. 1-5
In the end, the result wasn?t much of a shock as when at their best Saints are head and shoulders above most teams in the league. The disappointment from Aylesbury?s point of view will be the apparent ease with which their opponents were able to achieve that win.
