Two goals from Ben Hammond on his full debut and a first two goals in Aylesbury colours for Louis Austin helped the Ducks advance to the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy quarter finals by winning a dramatic nine-goal thriller 6-3 at Sandhurst Town.

It meant a seventh straight win of the excellent run of form United are in, but at times the result as in doubt as a depleted squad were hindered by further knocks testing their resilience to the limit. But Aylesbury dug deep and finally secured the game with an 82nd minute winner, having thrown away a two-goal cushion to trail 3-2 at one point.

Another barnstorming start to the game saw two early efforts from Stacey Field come to nothing, before Louis Austin was taken down on the corner of the penalty area running between defenders. The free-kick was taken square to Ben Hammond who crashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner to give United a fourth minute lead. 1-0 Aylesbury

The Fizzers had their first shot at goal soon afterwards when John Mulholland’s clearance was charged down, the ball breaking kindly for the dangerous Perry Coles whose shot was dived on comfortably enough by Jack Sillitoe.

In the tenth minute a bizarre incident between Field and a Sandhurst player resulted in a yellow card for Field, who came out of the challenge with a shoulder injury and was clearly in some discomfort. After soldiering on for seven more minutes he was replaced by Russell Clark – leaving United with only Joyce and Timberlake as remaining subs (with Korpala on the bench in name only).

Aylesbury were firmly in control of proceedings at this point and had good chances to extend their lead when Mulholland met a free-kick but saw his header fly off a defender for a corner kick, the first of which came to nothing, the second punched clear by the keeper.

Austin had a goal disallowed for offside, before the same player met a Lee Bircham cross but was unable to generate the power needed to test the stopper.

He went closer still two minutes later when Hammond picked up a poor defensive header before squaring for Austin whose well placed shot was cleared behind en route to goal.

The home side proved they were still capable of attacking threat when a decent shot from the edge of the box was well blocked by United’s defence, whilst Sillitoe had to be alert to beat away another effort by Coles after he ran at the Ducks backline.

Austin finally got the goal he and Aylesbury deserved on 39 minutes. After a good build up down the left both Baines and Butler were unable to turn the ball in, before it broke to the arriving Austin who smashed it in past the men on the line and off the underside of the bar. 2-0 Aylesbury

Butler then had a great chance when he was presented with the whole goal to aim at seconds later, but the goalkeeper made a block when he shouldn’t have been able to, but even with a two-goal advantage the match really should have been beyond Sandhurst.

As some complacency grew into Aylesbury’s game, sloppy defending allowed the hosts to draw level in a flash. Firstly Bircham was unable to clear a long, crossfield ball, allowing Glen Faircloth to twist one way, then the other, before finding the net. 1-2

Sandhurst drew level in stoppage time to complete a hideous five minutes for United. A deep ball in from wide saw Matty Day get to the ball ahead of Mulholland and head past Sillitoe. 2-2

Half-time: Sandhurst 2-2 Aylesbury

Once again, Aylesbury started the second half well and Hammond struck a free-kick straight into the wall, Austin fired over on the volley after Baines’ cross from the byeline was palmed away by the keeper, before the hard working Baines was denied by the keeper who sprung from his line quickly to smother.

The resulting corner was volleyed goalwards by Mulholland but blocked in the area, whilst Butler also saw an effort turned away as United kept the pressure on.

Completely against the run of play disaster struck, as the Fizzers completed their comeback with a third goal. Day went on a long run and cut inside from the left flank before planting a low effort beyond Sillitoe, who will be disappointed not to have got down quickly enough to save. 3-2 Sandhurst

Having established the lead for the first time, Sandhurst would have been bitterly disappointed that it lasted just two minutes. Conceding numerous fouls throughout the second half, one such challenge sent Austin tumbling in the box for a penalty, from which Hammond made no mistake to score his second of the night. 3-3

Three minutes later a free-kick from Zac Reynolds flew wide, before the game entered something of a lull.

Aylesbury’s walking wounded were having to muster all the fight they could in the closing stages, with Butler the latest to pull up – joining a role call of Field, Williams, Bircham and Mulholland struggling their way through as Tony Joyce kept himself warm on the sidelines.

United dug deep, and in the 82nd minute swung the game back in their favour. Another free-kick conceded by Sandhurst proved costly, as Bircham played in a fine delivery right onto the head of Mulholland, allowing the big defender to simply redirect the ball into the net. 4-3 Aylesbury

There was nearly a spectacular equaliser for the Fizzers when a fabulous dipping effort dropped just over Sillitoe’s bar, but it was Aylesbury who finished the stronger and two stoppage time goals gave a healthier, if slightly flattering, complexion to the game.

On 92 minutes Austin did brilliantly to beat two defenders on the byeline, his cross-shot spooning off a combination of defender and goalkeeper and hitting the inside of the post, where Baines applied the final touch of a header to make sure the ball was in. 5-3 Aylesbury

A minute later and Austin completed his great night’s work of two goals and two assists with number six for his side when he ran through and confidently finished. 6-3 Aylesbury

In the end it was a comfortable-looking conclusion to the match for the travelling Ducks and a second six-goal haul in ten-days for Aylesbury, though in reality the match had been anything but comfortable.

With a slightly extended break Tony Joyce will be hoping those players with niggles are fully recovered for Sunday’s FA Vase tie against Kidlington.