It took a gritty and determined Aylesbury to gain maximum points at London Colney against a very good side placed at sixth in the league table, with latecomer Ben Baines coming on as a half time substitute to net the eventual winner.

United showed two changes from the Berks & Bucks Trophy win over Ascot United, with Zac Reynolds and Greg Williams coming in for the unavailable Steve Hatch and Baines respectively, but the squad was further stretched with Joey Acheampong and Matt Timberlake also unavailable and on the bench in name only.

After a promising opening few minutes the Ducks edged in front with eight on the clock. A fine move from one end of the pitch to the other was finished with a superb 20-yard through ball from Stacey Field which opened up the defence, freeing Louis Austin to cleverly dink the ball over the advancing Mark Whittamore. 1-0 Aylesbury

Three minutes later and Jack Wood arrived unmarked on the end of a Daniel Jones free-kick but headed wide, before Colney had their first meaningful effort of the night when Yashin Boodhoo brought the ball forward and struck an effort that was drifting harmlessly wide before deflecting off Jack Wood to the well positioned Jack Sillitoe.

Another flowing Aylesbury move saw Paul Edgeworth’s curler comfortably caught by Whittamore, but United’s good start to the game was beginning to fade as passes went astray and the early fluidity went missing.

By contrast, the home side grew in stature and a spell of pressure had them look likely scorers with Jimmy Warner cutting inside and seeing a shot blocked, Matt Newman then riding a challenge from John Mulholland but firing straight at Sillitoe, and Dave Parkinson laying the ball back to Danny Power who blasted wide.

Yet it was United who did have the ball in the net again when Field outmuscled a defender and coolly slotted home, only for the linesman to furiously flag and harshly adjudge Field to have fouled his man.

Buoyed by this upturn an audacious Austin effort from 25-yards dropped over the backpeddling Whittamore but just over the net moments later, whilst Jack Wood volleyed wide after Mulholland had got on the end of Paul Edgeworth’s free-kick.

In a big blow to Aylesbury, Mulholland was then forced out of the game when, after a shoulder barge from Newman – deemed to be fair by the referee despite its similarity to that which denied United a second shortly before – the big defender twisted his knee.

It left United with ten-men for the last three minutes of the half and the home side being camped in Aylesbury’s half, a lashed effort over the bar by Newman was the only minor threat to goal.

Half-time: London Colney 0-1 Aylesbury

Baines replaced Mulholland at the break, with United reshuffling Shane Wood to join his brother at centre back, and Zac Reynolds shifting to right back.

As Aylesbury were getting their bearings, London Colney started the half well on top and leading scorer and stand out player Matt Newman should have levelled on 57 minutes when he ran through from a suspiciously offside position, lofted the ball over Sillitoe but hit the bar.

Two minutes later the ball found him again after an initial shot was blocked, but his near post effort was well smothered by Sillitoe.

Newman wasn’t to be denied for a third time and just past the hour mark he finally found the net. Not for the first time showing incredible strength, Newman outmuscled last man Shane Wood to get goal side and calmly score past Sillitoe. 1-1

In the process the Ducks lost their second defender of the night as Shane Wood limped off to be replaced by Liam Smyth, Greg Williams dropping in at centre back where he was exceptional for the remainder of the game.

It took Smyth just four minutes to make an impression as he hit a cleanly struck dipping half volley that dropped just over the crossbar, and not long afterwards the Ducks had re-established their lead.

Parity had only existed for nine minutes when a free-kick came to Field to the left of goal, his shot looped up off a defender into the path of Baines who improvised a finish to net from close range and score his 10th of the season. 2-1 Aylesbury

The hosts refused to lie down and a right wing free-kick was headed over, before Newman went close again with a volley that dropped just past the post with Sillitoe motionless – indeed, several home players thought it was in as the sidenetting rippled.

Aylesbury were having to dig extremely deep in the closing stages with many players clearly struggling with knocks, but did a good job of seeing the game out.

There was limited goalmouth action in the final ten minutes, Austin broke free for Aylesbury late on before squaring to Field whose shot was turned over via a deflection.

A stoppage time London Colney corner flicked off Zac Reynolds just past the upright, but that was as close as the home side came to finding a second equaliser.

It ended 2-1 with what was a very hard earned three points for the Ducks that sees them move about Oxhey Jets to second in the table. The challenge now for the team is staying there.