Aylesbury’s FA Cup dreams were kept alive by a goalless draw at home to Southern League outfit North Leigh, but there were mixed emotions after a second half which could easily have gone either way.

On the one hand, North Leigh missed a penalty – crashed against the bar – right at the death, whilst on the other, the Ducks wasted a score of clear-cut chances in the second half, which, had they taken one, would have been enough to take them through to a 1st Qualifying Round at Leatherhead.

Tony Joyce opted for the same starting eleven which had lined up at Tring Athletic in midweek, Stacey Field having sufficiently recovered from injury to take his place at number 10.

United started by forcing a couple of corners in the opening exchanges, the second of which was headed over by Mulholland, before a slick North Leigh move – one of many – ended with David King sliding the ball out.

The game’s first decent effort arrived on 13 minutes courtesy of Warren Garcia who struck a well caught shot but it was a fairly routine save for Sam Worrell in the visiting goal.

Worrell was one of a number of players who were part of Didcot Town’s Premier Division side of the previous campaign, and it was another – Elliott Osborne-Ricketts – who was start of the show as he pulled the strings for North Leigh.

A neat passing move involving the aforementioned player ended with a corner kick won for North Leigh, which eventually dropped to Tom Mills whose fierce shot was superbly blocked behind by Edgeworth from which the visitors threatened again, but Brian Bowles could only hook over having teed himself up.

The difference in levels between the sides was showing at this point of the match as United struggled for possession, the yellows having the ball in the net at one point but offside had already been called long before.

United then scored a ‘goal’ of their own three minutes later, a lofted ball in from Edgeworth claimed by Worrell who was then charged into the net in true ‘Nat Lofthouse style’, the referee quite rightly awarded the foul.

North Leigh then went very close again with a headed effort, Mills getting ahead of Mulholland to meet a right wing cross but flashing his effort wide of the post.

Thankfully, Aylesbury had started to get a foothold in the match and for the closing 15 minutes of the half things were more even. They had a good opening just past the half hour mark when Garcia put Field away down the right, and his cut back picked out Baines in the area but, unluckily for him, the ball bobbled just as he struck it and he could only shank it over the bar.

Suddenly, the match was end to end stuff and Osborne-Ricketts received the ball in field after a flowing move, but took too long over his final shot allowing Sillitoe to get down and make a very good smothering save.

With two minutes to go before the interval, Worrell made an unbelievably good save to keep Aylesbury at bay. Garcia’s zipping shot was diverted in the opposite direction by Edgeworth, Worrell managing somehow to adjust himself, dive against his direction of travel and extend enough of a glove to tip the ball wide.

A couple of Aylesbury corners, then a fine passing move from North Leigh and a cross which nearly went all the way into the goal still remained before time was called on a first half which had seen United ride their luck at times and probably be the happier of the sides to reach the interval on level terms.

Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 North Leigh

On the whole, the second half was a lot more even, but it didn’t start that way as the visitors created all the chances. Sillitoe made another good save to deny Osborne-Ricketts’ swerving drive early on, before Bowles fired over having been set up by the same player three minutes later.

Captain and former Chesham United man, Stuart Hole, then got in on the act, dragging a shot well wide having got up from full back and ridden at Tom Barnett challenge.

Bowles tried his luck again on the hour mark, seeing his shot from range deflected behind. Further great defending from Aylesbury, with Jack Wood having another storming game - seemingly on the end of every delivery to clear the danger, then made sure the short corner kick came to nothing.

Prior to that, Tony Joyce had replaced an exhausted looking Edgeworth with Melford Simpson, and the mere presence of the big striker caused North Leigh new problems in the final third of the match.

Aylesbury finally had an effort to show for their measure of possession on 69 minutes, and what a chance it was. A ball in from wide caught the visitors completely cold, Daniel Jones receiving it, cutting inside his man and back onto his left foot, but with the whole goal to aim at he could only scuff his shot wide from 8-yards.

All the pressure was on the visitors now, and two corner kicks in quick succession came to nothing before Simpson himself then missed a gilt-edged chance as he volleyed Jones’ accurate cross wide from 5-yards.

As the match entered its last ten minutes, both sides were looking leggy but both were still looking capable of snatching glory.

There was déjà vu when Jones missed again from a similar opportunity, dragging his shot wide after a brilliant interchange in the area with Simpson.

Sillitoe came to his side’s aid again on 87 minutes when he punched away a dangerous inswinging cross, and as Hole fiercely struck the rebound it was blocked by Jones for another corner.

Seconds later, it looked like all of Aylesbury’s hard work was about to come undone when the referee penalised Mulholland for handball. However, in an almost exact replica of events at Tring on Tuesday night, the opposing captain stepped up but crashed his penalty against the crossbar.

There was still more drama to come as first Worrell produced some fine goalkeeping to claw away Jones’ inswinger with Simpson lurking. Then, in the very final minute and completely out of nothing, Simpson found himself clean through. With only Worrell to beat he slowly took the ball around him, but then bizarrely attempted to pick out Field instead of shooting, Field’s eventual shot being blocked by the recovering defenders.

It was an excellent end to what had been an exciting cup tie overall, but no doubt Aylesbury’s feelings will be tinged with frustration that they couldn’t convert one of their many clear cut chances.

But at least they still have chance to put it right.