Aylesbury hit seven league goals for the first time since January 2002 as they thrashed beleaguered Holmer Green at Bell Close.

With a number of local matches postponed, including Leighton Town’s Southern League fixture, the bar was packed before the game and with all eyes on Aylesbury they didn’t disappoint.

Both sides had been out of action for ten-days, on which occasion the league basement side Green had shipped eleven goals, and they showed no improvement on that front by falling behind after just 75 seconds.

Steve Hatch scored the first of a brace having been allowed a completely free reign inside the penalty area and he thumped home a header from Ben Hammond’s corner kick. 1-0 Aylesbury

Further early chances followed as Ben Baines dive-headed Louis Austin’s cross wide, before another dangerous ball in flashed across the face of the goal.

It was Austin who scored the second – his first of a well deserved hat trick – with ten minutes played when he raced away on Stacey Field’s clever pass around the corner and finished with a low, hard drive which Dan Little got a glove to but couldn’t keep out on his near post. 2-0 Aylesbury

United continued to dominate and John Mulholland saw a header saved by Little, and a cross in fro Zac Reynolds was touched just wide by Austin.

Midway through the half Holmer – seeking their first goal in November – had their one meaningful attempt at goal as a through ball allowed Elliot Derby to get beyond Jack Sillitoe, but he was unable to find the vacant net from an impossible angle.

As the match entered a lull, United were trying to do the right things but the atrocious conditions which had seen a number of league matches postponed were hampering them.

A couple of long range shots from Reynolds and Ben Butler came to nothing, before the woodwork kept Austin at bay as his flighted cross beat Little but rebounded off the woodwork with Baines just unable to force home the rebound.

90 seconds later and Aylesbury did extend their lead as they went on a scoring spree that saw them net three times in five minutes before half time.

First, Butler picked out Austin with a raking long pass and although his shot was saved, Field made no mistake with the rebound – firing home through the defenders on the line. 3-0 Aylesbury

Almost straight from the restart the Ducks were back in possession in the box and as Field was unable to get a shot away, the ball fell kindly for Austin who crashed it into the bottom corner for his second. 4-0 Aylesbury

With the visitors still reeling, the fifth wasn’t long in arriving. A direct ball forwards found Field, who turned ex-Aylesbury defender Tom Alabaster inside out before cutting inside and coolly finishing with a reverse shot – for goal number 25 of the season. 5-0 Aylesbury

Half-time: Aylesbury 5-0 Holmer Green

Aylesbury started the second half well, as Austin scampered away down the left and played in a low ball that Field turned narrowly over the bar.

But as conditions deteriorated, so did the match, with much of the second half a dreadful affair for the spectators.

In search of some inspiration, United made a double change on the hour mark as Joey Acheampong and Greg Williams entered the fray, with Paul Edgeworth following not much later.

Holmer Green had their best effort of the game in between, when a fierce snapshot came in from Derby which rebounded back off the chest of a surprised Sillitoe.

Three minutes later and the visitors missed an open goal as the ball squirmed away from Sillitoe’s clutches, where it was teed up for an attacker who hideously miscued with the goal gaping, and eventually conceded a throw in.

There was always a sense that when Aylesbury clicked back into gear that they would find another route to goal, and so it proved.

Austin set Field away down the left again, and his swirling cross was met by Baines at the far post where Little palmed it behind for a corner kick.

This time Edgeworth provided the delivery, and Hatch once again thumped home a bullet header that gave Little no chance; once again the marking non-existant. 6-0 Aylesbury

Having waited half an hour for a goal, United’s spirits were raised once again and Field was inches away from his fourth hat trick of the season when he sent in a low shot which span cruelly away from the target at the last moment with Little a spectator.

Instead, it was strike partner Austin who completed his own treble, and his first in Aylesbury colours, with the best goal of the game. Williams played a fine pass forward to Field, who cut the ball back for the waiting Austin to score with aplomb. 7-0 Aylesbury

In stoppage time Williams’s cross hit the bar, with Mulholland’s volleyed rebound blocked in the area, before full time duly sounded.

A very good afternoon for the Ducks became even better with the news of Dunstable’s dropped points at home to Ampthill Town, United closing the gap at the top of the table meaning the majority of the crowd went home happy.