Aylesbury bounced back from two 3-0 defeats to win a scrappy local derby with Tring Athletic, and in doing so confirmed long-time league leaders Chalfont as Spartan South Midlands champions.

Daniel Jones was reinstated to the starting lineup and once again proved his worth by netting the winner with a 49th minute free-kick which went straight in past bewildered goalkeeper Mike Underwood.

The game itself was an overall disappointment, with the free flowing football Tring had exhibited at the Grass Roots Stadium way back in August stifled by the resolute Aylesbury that have emerged over the course of the season.

The Ducks had the better of what few chances there were in the opening stages as Ben Baines lashed over the bar from Joey Acheampong’s head on following an aerial battle, and Jones’ inswinging free-kick had to be cleared over the bar.

After Townsend and Coulter had both had efforts off target, Tring had their first opening on the quarter hour mark when Ryan Redford found himself played in for a decent chance but badly miscued his effort wide.

Another chance came the visitors way a minute later when Aylesbury could only half clear a free-kick, but the follow up effort was hooked over the bar.

Both sides continued to cancel each other out until a rare opportunity when Baines got on the end of Edgeworth’s flick-on but turned the ball wide.

Tony Fields should have scored ten minutes from the break when he got on the end of Addison’s flighted ball into the area, but his header lacked the power or direction to beat Sillitoe.

It was then Aylesbury’s turn to go close, as Hateley Mercer’s ball into the box was inexplicably not cut out by the Tring defence allowing Acheampong to nip in and very nearly poke the ball home, only to see it run wide.

Controversy followed on the stroke of half time when, following an injury the ball had been put out of play and subsequently thrown back to the goalkeeper in typical manner, only for Redford to latch onto it and attempt to score with a lobbed effort which, thankfully, dropped just wide. Clearly unimpressed, manager Phil Casserley immediately apologised to Tony Joyce for the unsporting act as the half came to a close.

Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Tring

United got off to the perfect start from the interval as, following a foul on Acheampong on the right touchline, another telling delivery from Jones swung across and all the way into the net with nobody able to get a touch and Underwood nowhere. 1-0 Aylesbury

The goal was just what the game needed to open things up a bit, and as Tring tried to hit back Edgeworth was called upon to clear a Chris Salmon – one of four former Aylesbury players in the Tring squad – volley off the line after Redford had retrieved a deep cross and cut the ball back.

Ducks’ top scorer Lea Coulter was uncharacteristically wayward with his finishing two minutes later when he hammered a shot over the bar after some good link up down the right by Acheampong and Wood.

Referee Mr Lukauskis, responsible for some strange decisions in both directions all afternoon, then waved away an Aylesbury penalty claim when Baines went down under pressure when clean through to the disgust of the home bench and relief of the visitors.

With twenty minutes gone the visitors elected to make a double substitution but still found themselves unable to make any headway in the game, as United’s restrictive tactics worked a treat.

Jones nearly got lucky on 77 minutes when his floated cross nearly dropped in with Underwood again flailing following a short corner routine which was worked back to him by Edgeworth, and two minutes later Edgeworth’s own shot on the turn had to be stopped by the keeper after Baines had helped the ball on.

Acheampong smashed a shot over from Baines’ pass and Coulter tried an ambitious effort from near the halfway line as the Ducks tried to keep up the pressure.

Inevitably, Tring did start to threaten late on and a free-kick flashed on from the right skimmed off an Aylesbury head and just past the post five minutes from time.

The best chance came in stoppage time and fell to substitute Mark Burfoot, who got on the end of a right wing cross but Jack Sillitoe made a superb stop to both keep the ball out and then recover to clear the danger with Dixon lurking.

Three minutes later and Redford had a similarly good chance but headed straight at Sillitoe this time after some great trickery and a delivery from Fields.

That was time up for Tring, with the result sending the title to South Bucks and meaning the race for runners-up spot is now wide open between four teams.