3rd placed Aylesbury United made the short trip to 2nd placed Leverstock Green where a much improved performance – particularly in the first half – went unrewarded as they were edged out in a 3-2 defeat.
Ben Baines got the Ducks off to a flying start when he converted from 6-yards with just four minutes on the clock. Warren Garcia’s clever flick set Stacey Field away down the left, and his low cross picked out the unmarked Baines who had all the time in the world to convert. 1-0 Aylesbury
Aylesbury’s team showed three changes to that which had so disappointingly lost to St. Margaretsbury in midweek, with Daniel Jones one of those returning. His set piece deliveries were a regular threat, and he came close to scoring after eight minutes, his top-corner bound free-kick well saved by Tinsley who managed to tip the ball onto the bar.
The early pressure on the home side continued as they forced a sequence of corner kicks, from the fourth of which Luke Flood powered a bullet header just past the post with Tinsley flailing.
Against the run of play, Leverstock managed to grab an equaliser. Mark Shadbolt won a challenge with Lewis Hallford, before chipping the ball forward to Louis West who produced an exquisite lobbed finish to beat Sillitoe. 1-1
The Ducks still had chances to score, Edgeworth placing a couple of headers wide from two more Jones crosses, whilst at the other end a well delivered corner from Lee Bircham was headed wide by Steve Hatch.
On the half hour mark West wasted a glorious opportunity for his side’s second when he was set away by a ball over the top, leaving Aylesbury’s defence floundering, but managed to place his shot wide past the far post with only Sillitoe to beat.
Stacey Field went one better in terms of bad misses three minutes later when he blazed over from 2-yards out after the home defence failed to cut out Hallford’s low cross.
Baines then went close when he nicked the ball back from Hatch before running on and firing an effort just wide, before Garcia curled an effort just over from the edge of the box.
The equaliser had been tough to take, so a second Leverstock Green goal, just before the break, was galling for United. West got the better of Gordon on the right before squaring the ball for the old pro Gallen who beat Sillitoe. 2-1 Leverstock Green
Half-time: Leverstock Green 2-1 Aylesbury
The Ducks found themselves trailing at the break, which was no reflection of the opening half, and it nearly got even worse in the opening seconds of the second period when Gallen chipped a fine pass over the defence for Hatch who had ghosted in, but he volleyed well over.
Instead, Aylesbury found an equaliser to bring some semblance of justice to the scoreline. Hallford’s inswingining corner was poorly defended, the ball coming all the way across to Garcia at the far post who couldn’t miss. 2-2
Leverstock stepped up their game again, and parity lasted just five minutes. Mark Shadbolt had a wind-assisted cross tipped over by the alert Sillitoe, before a mad scramble from the resulting corner ended with Gordon deflecting the ball behind.
From this corner the ball was worked back to original taker Bircham who played in an accurate cross which was headed into the net by Ben Butler. 3-2 Leverstock Green
Aylesbury suffered yet another injury when Garcia withdrew from the match, being replaced by debutant Kyle McNulty who had been drafted in from Leighton Town during the week.
In general, the second half hadn’t lived up to the standards the Ducks had set before the break. A half-time tactical switch saw Aylesbury change to a 3-5-2 system, which may have played some part as they struggled to create chances.
The match somewhat petered out, with Leverstock having a rare shot at goal when West levered the ball down for Bekim Culaj, whose shot was straight at Sillitoe.
Substitute Joey Acheampong made a number of useful raids down the right in the latter stages, and it was he who finally had an Aylesbury attempt when he came inside and fired a cross-shot which was never troubling Tinsley.
It was a disappointingly uneventful end to what had been an excellent game for the neutral, and a disappointing end from United’s point of view as they failed to test their opponents again.
Aylesbury now have a week to regroup before facing another tough test as high flying Hillingdon Borough visit Bell Close.
