Aylesbury advanced in the Premier Division Cup, emerging victorious from a penalty shootout with Leverstock Green after 120-minutes of football wasn’t enough to separate the sides.

The hosts, on an awful run of form of late, showed good character to twice draw level after early goals both in the original ninety and extra time had put United ahead and seemingly on course for the win.

Even the shootout took a ‘sudden death’ round to finally decide the game, Ben Baines hitting the decisive penalty after Stacey Field – usually deadly from the spot – ballooned his fifth and potentially telling spot kick over the bar moments earlier.

United had their first chance inside a minute when Louis Austin brought the ball along the byeline before being halted by keeper Tom Coulton, the ball breaking for Baines to rifle in a shot which was blocked by a defender.

The opener soon arrived though, the in-form Field scoring his seventh goal in four games with just four minutes on the clock. A poor Levy throw-in span straight out of the thrower’s hands to Baines who found Ben Hammond. He sprayed a pass towards Austin who in turn produced an improvised flick which found Field to hammer home a 20-yard shot past the motionless keeper. 1-0 Aylesbury

Based on the sides’ results going into the game, many might have expected Levy to have capitulated after such an early setback but, much like the league meeting between the sides earlier in the season, they fought back with and played some fine football at times.

It should have been 1-1 after nine minutes when an opening was fashioned for Tobi Akin, but his low shot was well saved by the legs of Jack Sillitoe, the rebound headed wide of the target.

Brad Wadkins crashed a shot wide of goal five minutes later, and, just before the half hour mark, Sillitoe was beaten by a low shot from James Dabbs after some brilliant passing and pinball on the edge of the box gave him the opportunity, but Jack Wood came to the rescue by clearing off the line.

United also had their moments in between as Ben Butler went close with a cross-shot from out wide which dropped just over, then the same player showed a great touch to bring down a high ball and feed Austin who could only shoot straight at Coulton.

Aylesbury ended the half back on top as Steve Hatch headed a free-kick over the bar, and from another set play the ball was taken quickly to Butler whose low cross was audaciously backheeled in midair by Field.

Half-time: Leverstock 0-1 Aylesbury

The second half saw the sides continue to cancel each other out, although Wood went close after 51 minutes when he got in the box to head over Hammond’s cross, whilst Tyrell should have done better when played in but spooned his shot well over the target.

Although not at all underserved, the equalising goal came as something of a bolt out of the blue when it arrived on 69 minutes. Brad Wadkins with a great piece of individual play to turn and arrow home a low shot into the far corner from the edge of the box. 1-1

Aylesbury went close to re-establishing their lead with their own skilful showing as the industrious Baines put the ball into the box where it was flicked on for Edgeworth, on shortly before the goal as Hammond’s replacement, who controlled a midair volley expertly but just the wrong side of the post.

Both sides saw further chances come and go – Akin firing well over after a quick corner kick routine, an unmarked Austin unable to beat Coulton with a header from a fabulous Edgeworth free-kick, before Hatch made a saving challenge to put the ball behind with Akin waiting for the square ball in his direction.

As the minutes ticked by the inevitability of extra-time began to sink in, United having a couple of half opportunities coming to nothing but it was Levy who came closest to breaking the deadlock – James Dabbs seeing his fierce drive superbly tipped wide by Sillitoe.

With nothing to separate the sides, the match entered extra time.

End of normal time: Leverstock 1-1 Aylesbury

Aylesbury’s fitness levels, worked on so hard by the managerial team in pre-season, clearly paid dividends in extra time as United went on to dominate proceedings. And after quickly taking the lead once more, it was only a hugely unfortunate defensive slip that gave the home side their only real sniff of goal.

The Ducks were ahead again within a minute of the restart. Edgeworth played a quality ball into the box where Baines was able to find enough room to fire a shot inside the post and beat Coulton. 2-1 Aylesbury

Seconds later the scoring could have been extended when Field wriggled free of the defence, only to see Coulton save with his legs from the one-on-one. The Ducks were then denied what looked a clear penalty as Austin was laid out when running at goal having been put in by Field’s ball over the defence.

The chances galore continued for United, Greg Williams firing in a low cross which Field was inches away from converting, then the veteran midfielder – giving another imperious display in the centre – glanced a header just wide from Edgeworth’s free-kick.

That all counted for nothing though as Green clawed their way level once again. A hopeful long ball downfield found the unfortunate Hatch unable to cut it out, leaving Akin clear to run on and beat Sillitoe with ease. 2-2

Austin headed wide from Field’s brilliant cross as the first half of extra time came to an end, and the second period was a similar story as United pushed forward with the home side hanging on.

Half-time in extra time: Leverstock 2-2 Aylesbury

Jack Wood popped up in the box again to meet a left-wing cross but got his volley all wrong and the ball scuffed tamely wide, before Butler curled a shot straight at Coulton four minutes later.

Aylesbury were left scratching their heads as to what they had to do to score as a mad goalmouth scramble saw five or six players take a stab at the ball, but Levy defended with their lives and eventually scrambled it away.

There was still time for Field to burst onto a long ball, round the keeper but see his shot swept off the line, and in the dying seconds United threw everybody forward but still couldn’t get the ball in the net.

With United unable to make their dominance count, the match went to the lottery of penalty kicks.

End of extra time: Leverstock 2-2 Aylesbury

With Leverstock taking first, the shootout got off to the worst possible start for the home side, as Akin’s weak penalty was saved by Sillitoe.

Aylesbury scored their first four through Bircham, Edgeworth, Mulholland and Butler, whilst Green also scored their next four courtesy of Wadkins, Cutler, Shadbolt and Kemp leaving the score at 4-4 with Field up next to kick.

Almost unbelievably the usually cool striker ballooned his spot kick well over the bar to send the shootout into ‘sudden death’ rounds.

Curt Dizon stepped up but struck a woeful penalty straight at Sillitoe, leaving Aylesbury’s Ben Baines the task of winning the spot kick – and he made no mistake with a firmly struck high penalty which no keeper would have kept out.

Final score: Leverstock 2-2 Aylesbury (Aylesbury win 5-4 on penalties)

Aylesbury’s ‘reward’ for their win is a trip to Dunstable Town in the 2nd Round on 27th November.