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Aylesbury went into their first ever competitive meeting with Risborough Rangers showing several changes to the team which had beaten Hanwell Town 6-0 three days earlier, with Tom Barnett out suspended joining the rested John Mulholland on the sidelines.

It meant something of a makeshift looking defence started the match, with further injury problems coming during the game adding to the Ducks’ selection troubles.

None of that forms sufficient excuse for the dismal showing which was to follow, as Aylesbury fell to what looks on paper as their worst ever defeat – losing out 3-1 to a team 5th bottom two leagues below (as a marker, below Hale Leys United in the league table).

Risborough may have come to Bell Close as the underdogs, but they had reasons to be confident following three straight wins, including a 7-1 thrashing of MK Titans the weekend previously, and as a result looked far better than many other of the teams United have faced this season.

They deservedly took the lead on 29 minutes when the ball was crossed to the far post, where it was headed down to Beswick who had plenty of time and space to fire home. 1-0 Risborough

Prior to that, the opening of the game had been pretty even, with neither side creating much in the way of clear cut chances. Rangers had been the team to go closest, Joel Read nearly making the most of a debatable free-kick award by curling the ball just past the post, whilst a Beswick header at a corner kick flew narrowly wide.

Aylesbury’s only real effort of note had seen them put the ball in the net, Paul Edgeworth ghosting into the box on the end of Garcia’s intelligent pass forwards, only to find the flag raised against him.

A minute after scoring, Risborough nearly doubled their lead when a swift breakaway saw Read get free down the left, and he squared for the on-running Horne who found space for a shot which was well saved by Timberlake to turn it around the post.

Just before the break a scorching shot from Lewis Hallford nearly found the net, only for his powerful curler to be turned away by away stopper Clarke.

That was as good as it got for Aylesbury in the first half, as Risborough took a deserved lead to the interval, but the Ducks started the second period strongly.

Melford Simpson had entered the fray, replacing Enzo Silvestri who had suffered a groin strain at the end of the first half, and his aerial presence nearly paid immediate dividends when he met a free-kick delivery from fellow substitute Hateley Mercer but headed over.

Paul Edgeworth saw a shot charged down a minute later, before the same player sent a shot crashing over having been teed up on the edge of the box.

It was a much needed improvement from Aylesbury, but just as they looked to be getting on top of proceedings, they suffered the killer blow of a second Risborough goal.

Seemingly with all the time in the world, the ball was cut back from the left where Laurence Clark was picked out, and he had enough room to fire in a well measured shot just inside the post. 2-0 Risborough

It came against the run of play, but it was the definitive moment of the match. Aylesbury made their last throw of the dice by introducing Ivaylo Dimitrov, but it looked a long, long way back for the struggling Ducks.

Just past the hour mark and Risborough opened up a three-goal lead to add to United’s embarrassment. An initial shot was scrambled off the line, but the experienced Ben Williams was there to pounce on the rebound and fire home. 3-0 Risborough

Amongst the stunned silence of Bell Close, Aylesbury tried in vain, but their sloppy and downright complacent performance showed little sign of elevation.

There was a moment of cheer when Dimitrov found the net with 18 minutes remaining, firing in after a scramble in the box had seen Simpson and Acheampong both unable to force the ball home. 1-3

Disappointingly, there never appeared to be genuine belief that Aylesbury could make a comeback, with both sides having chances in an open ending to the match.

Simpson saw a header blocked behind for a corner having got on the end of a Mercer free-kick, whilst Dimitrov also had a header blocked from a Mercer corner kick.

In stoppage time, Risborough twice had players run clean through, but the chances came to nothing as the Rangers’ players in question squandered their opportunities. It mattered not as seconds later they were able to celebrate a shock, but well deserved, win.

For Aylesbury meanwhile, it truly was an awful day at the office, and the best they can do is forget about this match, move on quickly and look for a positive result at Hatfield Town.

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