A comeback of epic proportions in the season finale saw never say die Aylesbury United overhaul a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 at London Tigers, and claim fourth spot in the league ahead of Haringey Borough.
The Ducks were poor for parts of the match, the first half in particular, and all looked lost when Tigers took a 2-0 lead early in the second half.
But this Aylesbury team have never been short of character, and they showed their fantastic spirit to fight back with three goals in ten second half minutes to turn the match around and finish with their best league record in over twenty years.
United made a decent enough start as a couple of half-hearted penalty appeals came to nothing in the first minute, before Paul Edgeworth, back in the team after a one-game cameo for Slough Town, curled a free-kick goalwards which was spilt by Christian Baffour but nobody was on hand to claim a rebound goal.
As the game ticked by it became clear that the 4-3-3 system wasn’t working for Aylesbury, as the Tigers full backs were time and time again afforded too much space to get forward.
From one such move came the opening goal, after 23 minutes. Jon Muzzi cut in from the left flank and struck a superb dipping effort which sailed over Jack Sillitoe and in off the bar. 1-0 London Tigers
Soon after the restart Stacey Field managed to run clean through on goal, but Baffour was off his line quickly to smother what was a rare Aylesbury attack.
After an even opening 15 minutes it had been one-way Tiger traffic for a spell, but momentum was coming back to the greens and a decent move down the right won a corner, which was met on the volley by Field beyond the back post but placed just wide.
Tigers wasted their best remaining chance of the half when Terence Cariba blasted a free-kick over the bar, and from that point on it was Aylesbury knocking at the door without being able to force an equaliser.
Sam Slatter’s long range shot was deflected over the bar, the resulting flag kick met by Melford Simpson whose header was cleared off the line, with Joey Acheampong unable to scramble home the rebound amongst the melee.
Simpson then headed over from a Daniel Jones free-kick, and, in stoppage time, the big striker released Field with a clever pass but his shot was too close to Baffour and beaten away.
Half-time: London Tigers 1-0 Aylesbury
Aylesbury started the second half how they’d ended the first, Field going close with an angled low shot, before Edgeworth hammered wide after Field was unable to get a shot away moments later.
Edgeworth then missed the best chance of the night when Simpson’s flick put him in for a clear sight of goal, only to fire wide with only Baffour to beat from 8-yards.
When Field shot Warren Garcia’s square pass into the side netting, it looked only a matter of time before the Aylesbury chances would turn into an equaliser, but it wasn’t the case as disaster struck.
Tigers launched a swift counter attacking move down the left, and as the cross came in Khalid Hassan arrived at the perfect moment to nod the ball through the hands of Sillitoe leaving the Ducks stopper grasping at thin air and the ball powering into the net. 2-0 London Tigers
Other teams might have thrown in the towel at this point, but to United’s great credit they kept their heads up and put the home side under more pressure – Ben Baines heading a corner kick just wide.
London Tigers still had their moments though, and went agonisingly close when a brilliant dipping shot from Ivan Perez-Redondo crashed back off the crossbar.
A minute later Edgeworth fired over after being teed up by Joey Acheampong, before Aylesbury finally registered on the scoresheet courtesy of a gift from substitute Marcus Lansiquot who needlessly handled a right wing cross in the area for a penalty kick. Up stepped Stacey Field who convincingly sent Bafford the wrong way for his 30th goal of the season. 1-2
With a goal to build on, the green and whites flooded forwards in search of an equaliser, and it took just five further minutes to arrive. A free-kick dropped kindly for Edgeworth in the box, and his shot deflected off substitute Joe Donaldson, looping up and over the keeper into the net. 2-2
Now the Ducks’ tails were well and truly up and the stage was set for a winner. It came from that man Edgeworth, who crashed home a stunning shot from the edge of the box to send Aylesbury into euphoria. 3-2 Aylesbury
Just before that, Tigers were wildly celebrating a ‘goal ‘ of their own, having not noticed the linesman’s raised flag for offside – and their smiles were quickly wiped off their faces.
It was an unbelievable turn of events, and after all the excitement it was no surprise that the game lulled into an uneventful close, as the tired looking teams offered little further in attacking moves and Aylesbury were able to successfully close out the match.
A fantastic finale to a long season – a huge well done to everybody involved for the 4th placed finish.
