Aylesbury played their ?get out of jail free? card at Biggleswade United as a controversial late penalty award allowed them to rescue a point having demonstrated an early second half collapse and gone two-goals behind.
After another enforced break due to weather, Tony Joyce?s side exhibited one change in Daniel Jones replacing the unavailable Lea Coulter, and it was he who completed the salvage mission with the equaliser five minutes from time.
On the whole, the first half was utterly forgetful.
The Ducks started promisingly though and inside the first five minutes Warren Garcia fired an effort goalbound but saw it take a deflection and loop over the bar, and from the resulting corner kick Wood?s stooping near-post header had to be tipped over by Lane in the home goal.
Four minutes later Jamie O?Grady intercepted the ball and proceeded to surge forward through the centre of the park before playing in Baines whose curling effort was caught easily enough by Lane.
Biggleswade?s first attempt arrived on 11 minutes when the ball was played into the feet of Connor Waite who turned and fired in a low shot which was comfortable for Sillitoe ? a warning more than anything else that it wouldn?t all be plain sailing for Aylesbury.
Aylesbury were quickly back on the attack as Townsend?s left-footed effort was again easily claimed by Lane, before Baines had a shot blocked and Wood an effort go straight down Lane?s throat after he had won the ball back in midfield.
As the half wore on, Biggleswade began to get a grip on proceedings and were closing down the play and making life difficult for the Ducks in a way they hadn?t been in the opening quarter of the match.
The result was a restricted remainder of the first half which saw little more in the way of goal action.
Jones might have done better having been rolled in after good work by Edgeworth and Baines, but he placed his shot wide having sidestepped his marker intelligently.
That was a full twenty minutes before the interval, but for the rest of the first half the teams simply cancelled each other out with increasingly poor quality football.
Half-time: Biggleswade 0-0 Aylesbury
Both teams emerged with supporters hoping both would respond to their respective ?rockets? in the dressing rooms and it was Aylesbury who sought first blood when Baines stumbled over a couple of challenges before getting a shot away once again it was no bother to Lane.
Two minutes later and the game got a much needed opening goal. Aylesbury were unable to clear their lines following Sillitoe?s punch, and Scott Timmins fired in a shot from outside the area which took a nick into the path of Waite who reacted quickly and turned it into a goalbound effort which looped over the helpless Sillitoe. 1-0 Biggleswade
The goal should have acted as a wakeup call but still the Ducks were struggling, and they put a second on a plate for the hosts seconds later as Townsend?s hideous backwards pass was gobbled up by Waite, but with only Sillitoe to beat he fluffed his lines with an early shot and the goalkeeper came out on top.
Aylesbury tried to up the ante with a bit more attacking intent on display and Mulholland nearly scored with a hooked volleyed effort after Biggleswade followed Aylesbury?s example of failing to get the ball away when it mattered.
Baines? poor luck in front of goal continued as he ran onto Edgeworth?s flick, going clean through only to miss-hit his shot but as it trickled towards goal Lane still felt the need to get fingertips on it and turn wide for a corner, which Edgeworth duly headed over.
The Ducks? afternoon then took another turn for the worst with a bolt from the blue as Joe Bradbury, who had never looked capable of such quality, skinned Will Smith and crashed home a shot high into the net which gave Sillitoe no chance. 2-0 Biggleswade
This time though, galvanised by a couple of substitutions, Aylesbury did manage to rally and they nearly pulled a goal back in the very next minute. Edgeworth?s exquisite long range shot cruelly rattled the crossbar with Lane rooted to the spot.
Townsend cracked in a half-volley which was held by Lane, Edgeworth headed Jones? free-kick wide and from a dangerous left wing cross a defender dived to head the ball narrowly past his own goal as Aylesbury kept up the pressure.
And from the corner kick it finally told, Jones? deliveries had been excellent all afternoon and Mulholland finally made one count as he headed firmly into the net. 1-2
Still fifteen minutes remained and Aylesbury now had renewed belief about themselves as they pushed forwards in search of an equaliser.
It eventually came, but in controversial and then dramatic circumstances. Racing onto a long ball, substitute Joey Acheampong was taken out by Lane who had charged from his goal line ? the referee deeming the incident to be in the area and awarded a penalty kick, to the fury of all involved with Biggleswade United.
Up stepped captain Edgeworth, but his kick was weak and Lane saved. Baines followed in but couldn?t convert, and to Aylesbury?s good fortune (for once) the ball broke for Jones to roll into the waiting net and level the game. 2-2
There were even chances for Aylesbury to steal the win with Mulholland seeing a shot saved and Justin Gordon wasting a free-kick by hammering over the bar, but in the circumstances the Ducks were happy to take home a point.
