It was an afternoon of ‘3s’ for Aylesbury as, after 3 drawn matches, they returned to winning ways wiith 3 different scorers giving them 3 points and a 3-0 win over 3rd from bottom Hillingdon Borough.
A catalogue of errors helped United on their way and with just over half an hour played the scoring was complete and the result seemingly in the bag, and, following Tuesday’s gruelling extra time and penalties encounter, the second half saw United understandably take their foot off the gas.
For only the second time this season Tony Joyce was able to name an unchanged lineup, with Zac Reynolds taking a place on the bench alongside ‘new’ signing Daniel Jones whose return from Aylesbury FC was confirmed earlier in the day.
A bright start by United forced a first-minute corner which was headed over by Hatch, and Stacey Field flashed a volley wide after harrying the ball back from a hesitant defence shortly afterwards.
The decent crowd of 128 didn’t have long to wait for the opener, coming after just 10 minutes. Young Chalfont St. Peter goalkeeper Connor Spanns made a hash of a clearance, the ball falling straight to Ben Butler who coolly made hitting a first time curling effort into the vacant net from a full 40-yards look like the easiest thing in the world. 1-0 Aylesbury
Spanns will have had better afternoons, and six minutes later he was partially to blame for United extending their lead. John Mulholland powered a defensive header upfield, where Louis Austin ran on but only produced a weak scuffed effort, but it was enough to somehow creep past the keeper and into the corner of the net. 2-0 Aylesbury
A two-goal deficit should be enough to spring any side into life, and the visitors looked to reduce the arrears almost immediately as first Kyle Matthews hit a good, dipping effort, but straight at Jack Sillitoe, and then Kuiseiu Lourenco followed suit within a minute.
It was the Ducks who continued to look the most threatening though, and a flowing counter attack eventually ended with field winning a corner after Hammond was just unable to control Austin’s low ball, Hatch hooking the ball goalwards from the set piece with Spanns just able to keep it out.
Aylesbury then hit the woodwork, not for the last time, when Austin produced a superb volley that had Spanns well beaten but cruelly rebounded off the crossbar. Hillingdon went straight up the other end for a similar effort by Jimmy Froud but his shot was over.
Any doubt about the result was effectively ended in the 32nd minute as United added a third, again as a result of a mistake. Centre back William Osei-Bonso slipped, allowing Austin to spring free yet again, and his inch perfect low cross was tapped in from close range by Field. 3-0 Aylesbury
Borough had no say in the remainder of the first half as the Ducks looked for a fourth, and nearly got it when Austin set Field away, but he saw his early shot tipped wide by the keeper.
More chances followed with Mulholland heading Hammond’s corner wide, and Jack Wood excruciatingly close to connecting with a Ben Baines pull back after Field worked wonders to keep the ball in play on the far side.
As the half came to an end, Aylesbury’s leading marksman, Field, picked the defender’s pocket but couldn’t get enough on his 20-yard curler and Spanns was able to easily claim the ball.
Half-time: Aylesbury 3-0 Hillingdon
The second half was much less eventful as United visibly eased off, and the visitors had a decent chance when player-manager Sam Hurrell’s dangerous cross was headed behind by Hatch, Froud – probably the smallest man on the pitch - heading just wide from the corner kick.
Hurrell then went for goal himself as he was allowed to bring the ball a long way, but fired well over from the edge of the area.
On 65 minutes came the visitors best chance, as Murray Williamson sprayed a lovely pass into the path of Matthews who hurried his shot and lashed well wide with probably more time than he realised.
It had been a slow start to the second half by Aylesbury who appeared content to let their visitors have their moment, but Austin was a constant menace and his spellbinding play on the left nearly created an opening for Reynolds – on as part of a double substitution not long before – but the defence were just able to clear.
Austin was at the heart of all United’s attacking play; he set up Field with a precision cross, headed wide, and then played in a low cross from the right which another substitute, Joey Acheampong, could only smash over from virtually on the goal line when it looked easier to score.
With time running out Hillingdon tried some shooting practise from range, but Sillitoe still found nothing to trouble him as he saw out the 90 minutes without a save to make.
By contrast, Spanns was called into action again by the rampant Austin who ran clear before drilling in a low shot which the keeper got down to save, the ball rebounding up off the bar and out for a corner kick.
Zac Reynolds crossed at the second attempt after the short set piece failed, from which Hatch headed on and Paul Edgeworth’s guided header struck the crossbar as Aylesbury hit the woodwork for a 3rd time, thus completing their afternoon of ‘3’.
It was, nonetheless, a good afternoon’s work for the Ducks, but, no disrespect to Hillingdon Borough, high flying St. Margaretsbury on Wednesday night will be a much sterner test of their qualities.
