Aylesbury’s 2010/11 season ended in disappointing style with a second successive defeat and conceding three goals again in the process as they went down 3-1 at Kingsbury London Tigers.

An abominable start saw the Ducks three goals behind inside fifteen minutes and although a Daniel Jones free-kick goal just before the interval and a much improved second half were to follow, the damage had already been done.

United elected to start with a formation including Paul Edgeworth at centre-half whilst Jack Wood moved into midfield, and despite having the first effort when Lea Coulter slashed over the bar, momentum was quickly with the Tigers and in the ninth minute they threatened but Hardy Pinto Moriera’s shot was closed down well by Justin Gordon.

It took less than a minute for the home side to take the lead with a well worked effort. The ball was headed on to Wadah Ahmidi who quickly moved it inside to Mohamed Bettamer and he finished well, placing the ball across Sillitoe and into the far corner. 1-0 Kingsbury

Tigers were making attacking look easy as they repeatedly strung four or five passes together in the early stages with the Ducks struggling to get near them at times, and it was no surprise when they doubled their advantage although it came from a set piece. A free-kick went straight through the wall where it squirmed out of Sillitoe’s clutches and Gregory Ngeno was in the right place, following up to bundle the ball home. 2-0 Kingsbury

Aylesbury were still in defensive disarray and things turned nightmarish when seconds later Tigers completed their mauling with a third goal. Ivan Gomes-Forbes was set away down the left, where he easily beat three players before firing in a near post shot past Sillitoe. 3-0 Kingsbury

After the third goal the Ducks reverted to type by dropping Wood back into defence and Edgeworth returning to midfield, and they were instantly more settled and were finally able to take the game to their hosts as the match reached its’ quarter point.

David King cut in from the right flank but blazed an ambitious effort over the bar, before Baines was played through by Garcia but the ball got away from him just at the crucial moment.

Tigers were still a threat though and Adil Salih should have done better when played in on the edge of the area but fired high over the bar, and Bettamar similarly when he miscontrolled a volley at the far post having got on the end of a free-kick.

Jones went close for the Ducks with a left footed effort which zipped just wide after King had worked the ball inside as United plugged away looking for a way back into proceedings. Warren Garcia was becoming an increasingly dominant presence in midfield and he drove forwards with the ball on the half hour mark but could only produce a weak finish which was easily fielded by Baffour.

As Aylesbury pressed forward there were now inevitable gaps for Kingsbury to exploit and they nearly took advantage when Oni Thomas crashed an effort wide having seen his first effort blocked.

An attacking move involving Jones and Coulter ended with Edgeworth planting a header wide, another effort from Jones was well fielded by Baffour, and Garcia fired off target prior to United finally getting themselves the goal they were after. It came from the trusty left boot of Jones who stepped up and dispatched another excellent free-kick into the back of the net for his 7th goal of the season. 1-3

Still Kingsbury went close to adding number four in first half stoppage time when Bettamar cut inside superbly before going curling a shot just beyond the far post, but Aylesbury hung on to their newly reduced deficit.

Half-time: Kingsbury 3-1 Aylesbury

United started the second half like they meant business as they headed straight for goal from the kickoff, but despite their efforts it was still the home side who had the first decent attempt when Ahmidi flashed a free-kick into the side netting.

Aylesbury kept up the pressure though and Lea Coulter could only shoot straight at Baffour from six-yards having been teed up by Jones following a clever diagonal pass by Wood to set things moving, whilst a David King cross had to be turned behind by the defence moments later.

That was about as good as things got for Aylesbury on what was another end of season ‘off day’ despite the introduction of Joey Acheampong for Jones on the hour mark.

Tigers were still running amuck with their counter-attacking pace as Ahmidi and Bettamar both wasted good chances and Salih nearly got lucky when his miss-hit free-kick had to be tipped over by Sillitoe.

All Aylesbury could offer in response was an outrageous long range effort from Coulter which, in fairness, very nearly dipped under the crossbar, and a wayward left footed shot from Baines which was poorly controlled when well placed.

On 77 minutes the match at last saw the first piece of linkup play between Aylesbury’s two strikers as Coulter fed Baines whose shot was heading off target but took a nick wide for a corner kick anyway.

A foul by Ngeno resulted in Gordon’s free-kick having to be headed over his own bar by a home defender, before Thomas’ turn and early shot at the other end was well saved by an alert Sillitoe.

There was a flurry of activity going into the final ten minutes as United tried desperately to end their season on a high note. Townsend’s well struck volley hit the base of the far post as he stole in around the back at a corner kick, before Baffour made a superb double save to deny Garcia a minute later after substitute Mickey O’Farrell had turned King’s lofted pass back across goal.

Kingsbury’s keeper was at it again two minutes from time when he made a great tip wide to keep out Coulter’s shot this time after Acheampong had brought the ball forward.

It just wasn’t Aylesbury’s day and even the presence of Sillitoe in the area at a stoppage time corner couldn’t force a goal, and although the Ducks’ final two games ended on something of a downer the wider picture paints a much more successful scene and should provide optimism for the next season.