Following a 2 week break since their win at Haringey, Aylesbury made the shortest of journeys to Cow Lane to face Tring Athletic. Manager Tony Joyce was forced to make one change to the team which won at Haringey in the last match, John Mulholland serving a one match suspension for accruing 5 yellow cards this season. So, Danny Jones returned to the starting line up, allowing Zac Reynolds to take a more advanced role on the left of midfield with skipper Jack Wood replacing Mulholland at centre back. Russell Clark returned from injury to take a place on the subs bench. The game started in bright sunshine, on a pitch which was a credit to the groundsman considering the recent freezing weather and then heavy rain which has affected the region in the past few days.

Tring were the first team to show attacking intent. In the 3rd minute, a corner was headed out, but returned into the box where Stewart King rose above his marker to direct a powerful header goal wards. As good as his header was, it was more than matched by Jack Sillitoe, who dived athletically to his left and pushed his header away from danger. The game was devoid of any goalmouth action until the Ducks sparked into life in the 13th minute. Lee Bircham found Ben Baines down the right flank with a throw in, his cross in turn found Stacey Field 12 yards out and his glanced header was too strong for Underwood in the home goal. 0 – 1 Aylesbury.

From the restart, Tring attacked down the left. When the ball was played in towards the penalty area, Greg Williams made a decisive tackle on the edge of his own box, and fed the ball out to Baines on the right flank. His strength and determination saw him go past 3 or 4 defenders and play the ball to Louis Austin. Seeing Baines continue his forward run, Austin played the ball back to him just outside the area. In an instant, Baines looked up and clipped the ball past the keeper and into the top corner of the net for a second goal in 90 seconds. 0 – 2 Aylesbury.

On 17 minutes, sloppy defending by Bircham saw a free kick conceded. Home skipper Graham Hall stepped up to take the kick, but only succeeded in directing it straight at Sillitoe for an easy save. In truth, the Ducks were looking very comfortable with their lead, with Underwood in the home goal by far the busier keeper. It wasn’t until the 33rd minute though that the lead was increased. Good work by Zac Reynolds down the left flank saw his initial cross cleared back to him. His second cross was much more [productive, finding Baines in the middle. His knock down to Field , in space 10 yards out was despatched into the corner of Underwood’s goal with some aplomb. 0 – 3 Aylesbury.

By this stage, the Ducks were cruising, and finished the half strongly. Both Danny Jones, from a free kick, and Reynolds went close with shots from outside the area, but no more goals were to come before the referee blew for half time.

Half-time: Tring 0-3 Aylesbury

During the break, the rain which had started in the last 15 minutes of the half got steadily worse, resembling a monsoon at its worst, driving spectators and substitutes, who were warming up in the break, to find cover. However, the pitch held up well, remaining perfectly playable.

The Ducks started the second half as they had finished the first, firmly on top. It only took 3 minutes for them to extend the lead. Great work by Louis Austin, who picked the ball on half way and drove forward. He spotted Field in space between the 2 central defenders and played a defence splitting ball to his strike partner, who made no mistake from 18 yards into the bottom left corner of the goal, completing his 5th hat trick of the season, and his 29th goal in total. 0 – 4 Aylesbury.

Just 4 minutes later and the Ducks came close to adding to their lead. Following a foul on Jones on the left touchline, he took the free kick himself. His delivery was headed out as far as Baines, 20 yards out, but his first time volley just cleared the cross bar. In a rare attack, on 59 minutes, the home skipper Hall won the ball well on the left flank. His ball inside to Paul Jeffrey saw the left back fire a shot at Sillitoe’s goal, which went just wide of the near post. Two minutes later, Reynolds went on a trademark weaving run, leaving 3 defenders in his wake and cutting inside onto his right foot. Unfortunately, the finish didn’t match the run as his shot sailed wide of the left hand post. Just 4 minutes later, and Austin again showed magnificent skill to dummy his marker, and sprint down the left flank. Unselfishly he squared the ball towards Field arriving at the far post, but the ball was just behind his partner and the danger was cleared by the home side.

The one way traffic continued, as Field was played in down the left side by a fine pass from Jones. He showed great strength to hold off his defender, but couldn’t get his shot on target, firing narrowly wide from a tight angle into the side netting. In the 81st minute, Tring finally managed to test Sillitoe again. Wood was penalised for a foul just outside the area. Jeffrey stepped up and hit a powerful low shot past the wall, but straight into a well positioned Sillitoe’s arms. Straight from his clearance, Austin got away down the left and crossed early into the box. The ball came off defender Jarvis’s head, but home keeper Underwood made his best safe of the match stretching well to prevent the embarrassment of what would have been a classic own goal.

The last 10 minutes passed off without much incident, bar the games only yellow card; Jarvis penalised for a tackle from behind on Austin, although he vehemently and vigorously protested his innocence. The game finished moments later, with the large Ducks following gleefully celebrating another well deserved away victory. Stacey Field will rightly take the plaudits for a superb hat trick, but honourable mentions must go to the whole team for a committed performance, especially Field’s strike partner Louis Austin and Ben Baines, who were both a handful for the home defence. Greg Williams and Ben Butler in the centre of midfield dominated the home team in the engine room, both making many vital tackles and blocks to prevent the home team making progress, while also finding time to set up attacking moves.

With their contenders at the top of the table also having comfortable wins, the position at the top remains unchanged. Next league match for the Ducks is away at 6th placed London Colney next Saturday, another tough assignment. Before that, it’s a second visit to Creasey Park on Tuesday evening to take on Dunstable in the Premier Division Cup, with some might say unfinished business to complete after the recent drawn league match.