A goal in each half and a dogged rearguard action from 3rd placed Aylesbury brought an end to 4th placed St. Margaretsbury’s unbeaten home record as the Ducks took all three points with a 2-0 win.

After a long break in play due to the weather, Shane Wood was finally able to make his club debut and gave an assured display as a straight swap for Lee Bircham, missing his first game following his leg break against Shrivenham, whilst Greg Williams came into midfield instead of Paul Edgeworth in the only other personnel change from that game.

The majority of the first period belonged to the home side, beginning in the opening seconds when a home shot from the edge of the box went just wide, and could feel slightly aggrieved at being behind to Jack Wood’s goal at the interval.

On six minutes the tricky Dave Edmee broke down the right and found fellow winger Lee Roberts with a low cross, but the ex-Hertford man slipped at the crucial moment and an excellent chance was gone.

A well-timed saving challenge then denied Ben Baines after an excellent cross by Zac Reynolds, before Reynolds himself twice blazed over the bar in quick succession – the first after Williams had retrieved the ball and passed to him, the second with a 35-yard free kick.

Sam Ruff’s curler for St. Margaretsbury was easily caught by Jack Sillitoe, and four minutes later there was a let off as the Ducks played themselves into trouble when a weak pass from Reynolds was intercepted by the pacey Rose. He accelerated clear of the defence, around the stumbling Sillitoe, but his poor touch took him too wide and to the byeline where his eventual attempted low cross was swept clear.

The match continued to be entertaining as a surprise early shot by Reynolds nearly caught debutant keeper Sam Lacey out, as he just managed to pluck the ball out of the air, before the home side’s top scorer went screaming to the ground looking for a penalty with no interest from the referee.

Aylesbury’s opener arrived six minutes from the break, John Mulholland, still forward from a previous set piece, crossing from the right where Jack Wood rose highest to send a looping header over Lacey and into the net. 1-0 Aylesbury

United had to work hard to preserve their lead and were indebted to Sillitoe who made a world class diving save to keep out Rose’s cheeky back heel after Edmee had made surged into the box and cut the ball back, and on the stroke of half time Shane Wood made a superb challenge to clear just as Roberts was set to pull the trigger from a low Rose cross.

Half-time: St. Margaretsbury 0-1 Aylesbury

With a solid defensive base coping well with everything the hosts were able to throw at them, United went close on a number of occasions to extending their scoring early on.

Mulholland’s header from a right wing free kick by Jones clipped the crossbar, whilst a deep free kick was flicked on by Stacey field with no-one able to turn the ball home. Seconds later and Jack Wood nearly repeated his goalscoring feat with a carbon copy header – a far post cross looping header that this time smacked back off the crossbar and although Louis Austin met the rebound, his diving effort was straight at Lacey.

Aylesbury continued to defend well as Jones and Shane Wood made key defensive blocks to keep St. Margaretsbury shots to a minimum. In fact, Saints couldn’t muster an attempt at goal until the very final ten minutes, when Anstead headed a corner kick over the bar.

Before that, Reynolds fired over again and Jack Wood tried his luck once more as the ball dropped to him on the edge of the box, but saw his half volley charged down.

After Anstead’ misplaced attempt at an equaliser, the Ducks struck gold with a second goal. Shane Wood found Austin with a throw, the striker turning and firing a low shot across goal which nicked off a defender on its way behind for a corner kick.

The imperious Mulholland met Jones’ delivery with a well guided header which looked to be heading goalwards, Stacey Field stealing in to apply the finishing touch and make sure as he gleefully smashed home. 2-0 Aylesbury

With little over five minutes remaining the Ducks at last had a comfortable cushion, but the home side never gave up and a well met header from a corner kick was blocked at close quarters by Mulholland to ensure a clean sheet for his team.

Full time soon followed on an excellent result for Aylesbury who showed no signs of rustiness following the ‘winter break’ and can now look forward to a Premier Division Cup Quarter Final at London Tigers.