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In their first game after a frustrating weather-affected two and a half weeks, Aylesbury produced a good performance to see off Hatfield Town and move up to sixth in the league table.

With Sam Slatter missing, young defender Joe Donaldson was granted his full debut, whilst there were places on the bench for Warren Garcia – returned after a brief spell at Aylesbury FC – and Mark Toms who has resumed playing for the club after a spell out of the game.

Whilst the scoreline was comprehensive, the match wasn’t entirely one-sided, with the game not entirely safe until Lewis Hallford scored a brilliant third. Indeed, had Hatfield not wasted a string of more than clear-cut chances then the night’s complexion could have been different.

Both sides had chances in the opening exchanges with Joey Acheampong getting away from the defence without being able to get a clean shot away, before Field went for goal with a curling effort a minute later but couldn’t beat Sam Lacey in goal.

At the other end midfielder Terry Caswell bustled his way towards the penalty area but could only produce a weak effort at the end of it, as did Carl Webb who did well to play a neat one-two in the box but his finish was poor.

Aylesbury took the lead in the 16th minute when Field took full advantage of some woeful defending by getting goal side of the hapless Richard Cooke from a long defensive punt, and got just enough of a touch on the ball to divert it past the confused goalkeeper and defender and see the ball trickle over the line. 1-0 Aylesbury

A procession of home chances followed the opener with Marcus Sawyer lashing a volley over the bar, Ben Baines seeing a looping header hacked away, and Jack Wood slamming a shot wide having been teed up by Acheampong after the referee played a smart advantage with Hallford fouled in the build up.

The Ducks then had the first of a number of let offs as sloppy defending let in Webb who skewed a shot badly wide as the ball dropped to him in the box.

Instead of being level, United doubled the scoring a minute later. Good work by Acheampong on the byeline ended with the ball popping back to Sawyer who drilled home an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area. 2-0 Aylesbury

On 28 minutes came Hatfield golden opportunity number two. A fine ball dinked over the defence presented Ashley Gumbs with a clear sight of goal, but he made a mess of the shot allowing Sillitoe to save.

Aylesbury were finding the going very easy whenever they came forward against a Town defence reluctant to tackle or close the ball down. Good football produced another chance when Sawyer broke down the left and crossed for Hallford who met the ball with a diving header but could only direct it wide.

Acheampong nearly scored another special goal as he bulldozed his way goalwards but had his effort plucked out of the air by Lacey.

Field then went close to adding to his tally when a defence splitting pass from Edgeworth set him free to round the keeper, but his shot lacked power and was cleared off the line.

A mad minute followed as first Webb made another complete hash of finishing when, presented with just Sillitoe to beat, he miss-hit his shot and the Ducks keeper was able to catch the ball from his grounded position.

Immediately on the counter Wood then wasted an equally as good a chance for his side when he hit the crossbar from six-yards after another great run from Acheampong to set him up.

Half-time: Aylesbury 2-0 Hatfield

Content with their advantage, there were worries amongst the home supporters that Aylesbury would be complacent in the second period, but as efforts from Acheampong and Sawyer came in the opening minutes it was clear that United were looking to increase their margin.

A third goal was needed to kill the Hatfield threat once and for all, as they squandered further opportunities through Dray who fired wide inside the box, and Gumbs whose first touch denied him a decent opportunity as he pushed himself too wide with the ball.

Lacey made a good stop to deny Acheampong when one-on-one after a brilliant run and pass from Baines set him away. A minute later and a superb team goal was denied only by the linesman’s flag after a move down the left resulted in Field meeting Jones’ cross with a flying header into the net.

Field then missed his second open goal of the evening as he raced onto a ball over the top, pushed it past Lacey and looked to have done everything right with a strong shot, but this time he was unlucky as Cooke got back excellently to clear.

Aylesbury didn’t have to wait long for the third, a typical masterstroke from flying winger Lewis Hallford. Cutting inside from the right, under no pressure at all, he calmly picked his spot and placed a 25-yard arrowed drive into the far corner giving Lacey no chance. 3-0 Aylesbury

Gumbs’ game continued to go from bad to worse as, from a suspiciously offside looking position, he ran clean through only for a remarkable save by Sillitoe to keep him at bay. Then, Donaldson presented him with an absolute gift of another one-on-one, only for an awful finish which left Sillitoe an easy claim.

Sillitoe had to do a bit better soon afterwards with a Caswell free-kick which was well placed into the corner, but the Ducks stopper was able to turn the ball around the post at full stretch.

It was an off night for both sets of strikers, as Field missed the target again from another one-on-one situation having robbed Grant Macree, putting the ball just over the bar.

The game drifted to a slow close as United introduced all three of their substitutes: Melford Simpson along with the aforementioned Garcia and Toms.

In stoppage time Hallford went close when he had a shot deflected just past the post by Macree, whilst the unfortunate Field completed his hat-trick of efforts cleared off the line when his looping header was scrambled away at the death.

A very welcome three points for Aylesbury on a night of many missed opportunities by both sides, hopefully the sharpness in front of goal will return once the regular games restart.

Joe Donaldson makes his full debut for the Ducks, whilst Warren Garcia and Mark Toms return to the squad

We're underway at Bell Close...

6. Acheampong released, got away from defence but couldn't get clear shot away and keeper smothered
7. Ball dropped kindly for Field who went for a curler, but it ended up as a comfortable side foot into the keeper
10. Caswell bombarded his way through the middle, weak shot easily fielded by Sillitoe
13. Webb plays a one-two but can only produce a powderpuff effort at the end
15. GOAL! Woeful defending from Hatfield lets Field in who somehow turns and takes the ball past the keeper, and it trickles in. Some debate whether its an OG or Field's goal though
17. Sawyer lashes a volley way over the bar after a redelivered corner kick finds him on the edge of the box
19. Baines header at a corner loops goalwards but is hacked away
20. Smart advantage played by the referee after a foul on Hallford, Acheampong tees up Wood in the box who slams a shot wide
22. Sloppy defending from Aylesbury, ball drops to Webb in the box who skews badly wide
23. GOAL! 2-0 Aylesbury. Sawyer slams in a fierce shot after good work from Acheampong
27. Field chips the ball over his marker and goes for goal, but its miles over
28. Ball dinked over the defence for Gumbs who made a mess with the shot with only Sillitoe to beat, allowing the keeper to save. Not the first let off for the Ducks
30. Good play again from Aylesbury, but its very easy! Sawyer in down the left crosses for Hallford who diving headers it wide
32. Nearly another Acheampong special as he bulldozes his way towards goal, but sees his shot plucked out of the air by the keeper
37. Field rounds keeper and shoots for goal but sees his effort scraped off the line. Fantastic pass by Edgeworth set him away
39. Quite how Hatfield haven't scored there I'm not sure. Sillitoe sat and caught Webb's shot from 2-yards - another let off
40. At the other end Wood hit the crossbar from 6-yards out after Acheampong beat several defenders, the rebound saved by the keeper

HT: Aylesbury 2-0 Hatfield: Too easy at times against a very poor Hatfield, complacency could be our biggest enemy here
That said, the visitors have had a number of clear chances due to some hairy moments in our backline

Second half has started...

4. Feintest of headers from Acheampong from Hallford's cross, can't divert it into the net
6. Ball played inside to Dray, fires wide of the target from inside the box
11. Sawyer digs out a shot over the bar after a low corner comes out to him
12. Good save from the keeper to deny Acheampong's one-on-one shot after a brilliant run and pass from Baines
13. Fine goal from Aylesbury ruled out by the linesman's flag... Field's flying header on the end of Jones' cross was superb though
14. Poor first touch from Gumbs denies him a decent goalscoring chance as he takes himself too wide
We need a 3rd to finish this game off...
17. Field released by a ball over the top, pushed it past the keeper for an open goal but saw his effort denied by Cooke sliding it off the line
21. GOAL! 3-0 Aylesbury. Typical goal from Lewis Hallford. As the defence backed off he drifted inside and placed a low left-footed effort into the bottom corner
21. Hatfield sub: Stewart on for Oboy
24. A suspiciously looking offside Gumbs runs clean through, remarkable save from Sillitoe to deny him
25. Mulholland heads a corner kick well over
28. Gift from Donaldson as Gumbs steals the ball from hime. One-on-one, another awful finish
28. Caswell's well placed free-kick turned round the post by Sillitoe
32. Aylesbury sub: The returning Garcia on for Sawyer
34. Field robs Macree to go one-on-one. Fired over, unlucky
36. Hatfield subs: Millard and Tahon on for Reade and Webb
39. Aylesbury sub: Simpson on for Acheampong
42. Aylesbury sub: Toms on for Wood
45. Hallford cuts in from the left, shot deflected wide by Macree
46. Corner kick fell to Mulholland, powerful shot blocked at close range
47. Field looping header cleared off the line

FT: Aylesbury 3-0 Hatfield: Well deserved victory, not quite as comfortable as the scoreline suggested though