After the disappointment at Kettering Town, and FA Cup exploits taking centre stage, Aylesbury travelled to AFC Hayes with the target of getting some all important points on the board, and it was mission accomplished as a stunning start and some catastrophic home defending aided them in a 5-2 win.

Shane Wood was still injured, Ben Baines was absent and Lee Grace benched, whilst, with arguably tougher games to come, the Ducks left striker Stacey Field on the bench following his bruising Wednesday night game. It was a calculated risk and one which proved vindicated for Tony Joyce as United hit five goals even without their talisman.

The opener arrived with just seven minutes played when, from a throw in from the left, the ball was spread wide by Jason Blackett to Dom Petrucci – Baines’s replacement on the flank – and his pinpoint cross was headed home from point blank range by the onwards-running Blackett. 1-0 Aylesbury

Hayes had put three past Marlow a week earlier and throughout the game showed they had the quality going forwards, it was at the other end where their difficulties lay. In the 12th minute Jake Cass showed good skill to get to the byeline and drill the ball across goal where no one had arrived for what would have been an easy finish.

Aylesbury had forced a couple of corner kicks, Joey Acheampong catching the home keeper out with an early shot that he turned wide despite being off target, but United weren’t able to capitalise.

That was only true until the 18th minute when, following a corner for the hosts, United countered swiftly and Daniel Jones, on his first start of the season, found Blackett who touched the ball back for Petrucci to crash home a fabulous 25-yard drive which rose into the top corner giving Ben Goode no chance. A fine way to get off the mark for his new club. 2-0 Aylesbury

Just a minute later and it was Ducks in dreamland as Richard Armstrong added a third, Steve Hatch fired a free-kick into the box and Armstrong got up above the home keeper to nod home, referee Mr Panconi quite rightly giving the goal as good despite the stopper’s protests. 3-0 Aylesbury

The three-goal advantage proved to be shortlived as a 23rd minute Cass free-kick found the back of the net with apparent ease, with the setup of United’s defence possibly open to questioning. 1-3

Incredibly, the game’s fourth goal also wasn’t long arriving, as Jones weaved his way into the box before being clipped, and he picked himself up to confidently stroke home the penalty kick. 4-1 Aylesbury

After such an explosive start, it was inevitable that the game would enter something of a lull as both sides tried to take stock. Hayes had a 30th minute free-kick in identical position to hat which they scored from, but Cass this time blazed over the crossbar.

Cass was proving to be a dangerman and he cut in from the right flank soon afterwards but his shot lacked the power to beat Sillitoe. The Ducks keeper then made a far more impressive save, showing his ever impressive reflexes to stop from Lawrie Shennan’s close range header from a left wing cross.

Aylesbury then had two opportunities to extend their lead with a deep Jones free kick headed wide from beyond the far post by Armstrong, who should have done better, and then Petrucci flicked a Zack Reynolds cross over the bar.

Half-time: AFC Hayes 1-4 Aylesbury

Hoping for a second half improvement, it was the hosts who threatened first and only another outstanding save from Sillitoe denied them as a low ball across the box found Charlie Crane getting forward from left back, whose deflected shot was palmed away by Sillitoe.

Hayes’ buoyancy was quickly knocked back as Aylesbury added a fifth goal amongst some statuesque defending. Jones fired in a corner from the left and Jack Wood rose completely unchallenged to nod home as home defenders stood motionless looking at one another. 5-1 Aylesbury

Chances for number six came and went, with the beleaguered Ben Goode racing from his line to miscue a clearance straight to Jason Blackett who was unable to find the empty net with his left foot. Hatch should have done better when gifted another free header in the box at a corner, but only succeeded in guiding the ball back to Goode.

More suspect defending was evident as Jones whipped in another telling free-kick, headed over by Blackett and then, ten minutes later, Acheampong’s brilliant first touch presented him with a shooting chance that he skied well over the bar, and then some.

Inside the last fifteen minutes, the hosts were presented a chance to reduce the deficit when Sillitoe sprang from his line but missed the ball, taking out the attacking man in the process, but Jake Cass left the Ducks off by placing his penalty wide.

Within five minutes and the Brook did find the net again. Another free-kick on the edge of the box this time saw Mitchal Gough step up, and he found the bottom corner of the net to bring the scoreline back to 2-5.

The match continued to be full of action and seconds after the goal Hayes should have scored a third when a counter attack saw the ball played in low across the box where Gough placed his shot over the bar of an open goal.

Substitute Paul Edgeworth went close with a great effort, whilst Crane nearly scored an own goal in trying to head a cross back to his keeper, but it was the home side who went closer still yet again when Ramayne Thomas rattled the woodwork with a stoppage time shot.

In truth the scoreline of this entertaining match could have finished at anything, but a 5-2 win against established Southern League opponents made for an excellent first competitive visit to Farm Park, and lifts Aylesbury to 14th in the table.