After two away draws, Aylesbury brought an end to their busy schedule of seven games in fourteen days with a 6-2 win at London Tigers.

At a rainy and flooded Avenue Road ground, the Ducks ran riot with three second half goals in six minutes helping secure the victory, after Tigers had twice been gifted equalisers leading to a level half time score of 2-2.

It was a match full of talking points that also saw three players dismissed, one of whom, Liam Smyth was returned to the starting lineup alongside the also returning Joey Acheampong and Shane Wood. The trio replaced unavailable Steve Hatch and Zac Reynolds, and Stacey Field who finally succumbed to his injuries and dropped to the bench.

Aylesbury made a bright start to the match and forced two unproductive corners in the first four minutes, before taking the lead after six. Louis Austin progressed down the right flank and crossed to the near post where Acheampong stooped to head in. 1-0 Aylesbury

United’s lead proved to be shortlived and initiative was quickly given straight back to the Tigers when a low cross was toe-ended into his own net by the unfortunate Ben Butler. 1-1

Again, another goal soon arrived, as Aylesbury re-established their lead just four minutes later. Goalkeeper Adam Atour had been quick to laugh at Butler’s misfortune at the other end, but the smile was wiped from his face as he made a hash of judging Paul Edgeworth’s free-kick as it curled past him. 2-1 Aylesbury

Acheampong had a good chance to increase the lead when Jack Wood’s persistence eventually gave him an opening, but the Ducks striker only fired into the side netting.

Instead, Tigers were once again given a way back into the game when Bill Morgan scythed down Biendi Kellici in the area, and Edson Cata made no mistake from the spot to level the match again. 2-2

With four goals and the game having only reached the midpoint of the first half, it was unsurprising that the tempo slowed somewhat for the remainder of the opening period.

Tigers were caught offside on a number of occasions, indeed the only two times they made it to United’s penalty box had seen them rewarded with an own goal and a penalty!

At the other end Aylesbury were regularly more productive, without an end result for the efforts. A fine crossfield ball picked out Butler, but his finish was weak, before a Ben Baines low cross was nearly turned in by Edgeworth, and Acheampong was denied Terry Whitman’s challenge just doing enough to put him off and he scuffed a shot goalwards.

Half-time: London Tigers 2-2 Aylesbury

The Ducks looked hungry for goals from the restart, and it took just eight minutes for them to take the lead for a third time. Austin outwitted his marker before being hauled back in the box, with many feeling the perpetrator was lucky not to face further punishment given the position of the offence. Up stepped Edgeworth and rammed the penalty straight down the middle. 3-2 Aylesbury

It was the beginning of a quick fire burst of goals from Aylesbury, the next, and Edgeworth’s hat-trick, coming five minutes later. Tigers were never able to get to grips with Austin, and when goalkeeper Atour sent him sprawling the penalty and instant red card were inevitable. Edgeworth this time sent the penalty to the left to complete his treble. 4-2 Aylesbury

A minute later and the game was well and truly put beyond the reach of Tigers as United extended their lead further when Austin grabbed a deserved goal, hooking the ball in from six-yards. 5-2 Aylesbury

Baines went close to number six when he was just unable to turn the ball home after Austin’s surge to the byeline, before an early warning that Tigers were starting to lose their heads as Cata was booked for dissent.

Austin could have had another himself when he fired Edgeworth’s cross wide, but he turned creator for the fourth time of the afternoon on 70 minutes. Crossing the ball in low from the left, replacement goalkeeper Sam Freiter should have done better with the situation, but substitute Field was on hand to capitalise and send the ball into the net. 6-2 Aylesbury

With the game now safe United introduced Ben Hill for the remaining quarter of an hour, and had further efforts from Williams whose shot ricocheted wide off a defender, and forced three successive corners which came to nothing.

But the biggest talking point came with seven minutes remaining. Tempers flared at an innocuous looking throw in, and Tigers reacted angrily with Adorito Manuel booting the ball at Liam Smyth for which he was dismissed. Smyth himself was then also shown red for whatever the referee deemed his part in the incident was.

Jack Wood saw a low effort smother by the keeper, and he made a mess of handling Field’s cross in injury time but just about recovered to prevent Austin turning in the rebound as Aylesbury went in search of number seven.

It was Jack Sillitoe, who had barely a save to make all afternoon, who was called into the most meaningful action of the closing stages though. Jose Huender Dos Santos burst through for a clear run at goal, but Sillitoe stood tall and parried his shot away at the near post.

At full time the inquest regarding Smyth’s sending off was in full flow, the only sour note on an otherwise pleasing afternoon for Aylesbury.