A disputed 92nd minute Ben Baines goal gave a heighted sense of comfort to this scoreline against struggling Hertford Town, as Aylesbury extended their unbeaten run to draw level on points with second placed Oxhey Jets.

Without an away win all season, the plucky visitors gave a great account of themselves and only some notable saves from the busier keeper Jack Sillitoe kept Aylesbury’s 16th clean sheet of the season intact. The ball was also cleared off the line on more than one second half occasion.

Not to say that Aylesbury weren’t worthy of their win – they took their chances when they came and defended well when needed; just that, not for the first time this season, the Ducks made hard work of supposedly ‘lesser’ opposition.

The game was only three minutes old when Sillitoe made a notable double save as a lapse from John Mulholland let a striker run through, Sillitoe saving well then getting up quickly to save again from the rebound.

After that Aylesbury began to take control of proceedings as they looked for an opening. In the 8th minute Stacey Field went past the defence like they weren’t there and flashed in a cross-shot which was just out of Louis Austin’s reach, whilst a cheeky near post free-kick attempt from Daniel Jones went wide.

Zac Reynolds was the next man to go close, on the quarter hour mark, when a searching cross-field ball was fired back across goal by the youngster, but just past the post and three minutes later Greg Williams’s decent long range attempt was gathered at the second attempt by Daniel Lewis.

United deservedly went ahead midway through the first half, courtesy of skipper Jack Wood’s third goal of the season. His initial flicked header from Jones’s corner kick was only half cleared to Field, who crossed from the left where Jack Wood rose majestically to head into the top corner. 1-0 Aylesbury

Having established their lead, the Ducks then let Hertford back into the match and only an excellent saving challenge from the experienced Williams denied the visitors a clear shot at goal after a swift break by the dangerous Asare-Bediako.

Two minutes later and a rare error by Jack Wood saw him present the ball straight to Sean Stock instead of going for the safety of a throw in, who could fortunately only place his shot well wide.

Aylesbury then had a better spell and a couple of long shots with Mulholland cheekily trying his luck from a 50-yard free-kick having spotted Lewis slightly off his line, whilst a Ben Butler 30-yarder dipped just over the bar.

A Jones near post corner was headed just over at the near post by Williams, and a Field cross similarly by Louis Austin, but it was Hertford who went closer. Stock held the ball up well before releasing Asare-Bediako who scampered away and struck a powerful effort that Sillitoe did well to beat away.

The away side ended the half on top and Karden Campbell’s effort from range saw Sillitoe again field the ball well, as Aylesbury’s narrow lead remained at the interval.

Half-time: Aylesbury 1-0 Hertford

Aylesbury got off to the perfect restart and six minutes after half time put the result beyond Hertford with a second goal. With the visiting defence momentarily out of shape, Reynolds threaded the ball through for Austin who had the composure to go past the keeper and find the bottom corner. 2-0 Aylesbury

With the result seemingly settled, the game entered a quiet phase with neither side able to create much in the way of chances until the hour mark when Jones’s free-kick was headed goalwards by Mulholland but plucked out of the air by Lewis.

A minute later good work by Butler set Austin away but he was unable to find the net, the ball falling for Field whose shot was charged down, and from the quickly taken corner kick the result for Field was the same. The subsequent corner was well defended before Field was hacked down on the byeline having retrieved the ball, and from Jones’s free-kick Mulholland deftly headed just wide.

In Saturday’s match at Biggleswade the Ducks were able to be comfortable in their lead whilst never being in any danger, yet on this occasion what was another safe looking margin was always tempered by the very real threat Hertford possessed, and there was no room for complacency.

This was evidential when a mazy run by Stock ended with him being brought down, though Lewis Donovan wasted the free-kick by blazing over the bar.

Twice in a matter of seconds and there were more problems for United to deal with. Firstly, a long free-kick pumped into the area caused mayhem as the ball ended up beating Sillitoe, but not Mulholland, who got back in the nick of time to clear off the line.

Then, the resulting corner was met by the head of Karden Campbell but Sillitoe made a good block on the line when it looked like the ball was heading in, especially as the net bulged with Hertford players hitting it!

That was as close as Hertford were to come, as Aylesbury introduced all three of their substitutes with the match winding down.

An outrageous long range volley from Field flew wide after one of those replacements, Joey Acheampong, flicked the ball on, before a ball played inside by Austin found Field who cut inside and rifled an effort over.

In stoppage time Acheampong won a corner kick, and Jones once again provided a fine delivery which Ben Baines guided towards goal. Despite Andrew Pearce’s best efforts in the goalmouth, the linesman on the far side was quick to signal that the ball had crossed the line, despite Hertford’s vociferous protests, and it was 3-0. 3-0 Aylesbury

A slightly flattering final score perhaps, but a very welcome one for Aylesbury and another important three points.