A Keith Williams penalty double helped Aylesbury United progress in their first FA Trophy match since winning promotion back to step four, with a 4-2 win over Ryman League Division One South opponents Faversham Town.

Williams, recalled in one of three changes that saw Shane Wood back after injury and Jason Blackett starting, also set up the opener by delivering a corner kick that Bill Morgan headed home.

The game had got off to a slow start in keeping with a more typical ‘sleepy Sunday’ afternoon, but it burst into life when Morgan netted the opener after 13 minutes with the first genuine attacking play, arriving perfectly to bury Keith Williams’s inswinging flag kick. 1-0 Aylesbury

Williams then went close himself when, after Matt Bourne was penalised for a hard challenge on Ben Baines, his driven free kick screamed just past the far post.

Midway through the half and Aylesbury were given the perfect opportunity to extend their lead. The lively Blackett made a strong run into the penalty area before being sent tumbling by Billy French, and Williams stepped up to confidently net from the spot. 2-0 Aylesbury

Barely two minutes after play had restarted, and the Ducks had another spot kick. This time Williams was the man fouled, French the offender again, and although there was some contact this was definitely a harsher award on the visitors. The outcome was the same though, Williams sending his kick in the other direction to increase United’s advantage. 3-0 Aylesbury

Three goals to the good and an easy win already looked on the cards for Aylesbury, against a side who had shipped five in midweek Kent county cup action and were without a goal of their own in five hours of play.

Faversham improved as the half wore on, and some complacency crept into United’s game. The visitors were always dangerous from long throws – their most threatening weapon – and one such restart resulted in Shane Wood having to head the ball behind from virtually under his own crossbar.

The subsequent corner was unusually poorly defended by the Ducks but Town weren’t able to capitalise, and Aylesbury broke quickly through Blackett who crossed for strike partner Baines but he was unable to control a volley on his weaker foot and the ball flew wide.

At the other end the ball fell nicely for Faversham’s Darren Marsden who volleyed well off target, and after three bookings in three minutes, the Ryman League side were gifted a goal back just before the break.

A horrible moment of uncertainty between Jack Wood and his goalkeeper Jack Sillitoe was exploited by the alert Brendon Cass who nipped in to prod the ball into the net. 1-3

Half-time: Aylesbury 3-1 Faversham

United went close early in the second half as Armstrong thumped a header wide from another Williams corner, and Blackett switched the ball wide for Lee Grace to cut inside and shoot over.

Exactly what Aylesbury didn’t want was to concede an early goal and invite Faversham further back into the game, but concede they did. A long throw from the left coupled with the low, setting sun caused mayhem in the box, and Jamie Maxted was able to easily nod in after the ball was flicked into his path. 2-3

The game was now well and truly back on as far as the visitors were concerned, and Maxted tried his luck again having shimmied past two Aylesbury players but slashing a long shot wide.

On 57 minutes the Lilywhites wasted their best opening, as a counter attack saw James Peacock break down the left and cross for the unmarked Luke Harvey who could only head the ball against the crossbar from six-yards out.

At this point it as a nervy looking Aylesbury, panicking with every ball into the box and from a corner kick a Faversham player was afforded a free header which was planted wide.

Jack Sillitoe was far from enjoying the best of his 223 United games, but he produced a save right out of the top draw to preserve his side’s lead midway through the second half. Aaron Lucy wound up another long throw from the left, the ball coming off an Aylesbury head and looking for all the world like it was bottom corner bound only for Sillitoe’s reflexes to save the day and tip the ball wide.

Ten minutes later and another throw in, another chance for Faversham, this time met by Harvey at the near post and striking a defender on its way behind for a corner kick which came to nothing.

The hosts had somehow survived the bombardment on their penalty area, and they hit back to re-establish their two goal cushion and finally put the tie to bed with twelve minutes remaining.

A swift counter attack exposed Faversham and substitute Joey Acheampong rolled the ball square for Blackett who arrowed home a superb low 20-yard shot into the bottom corner and out of Overland’s reach. 4-2 Aylesbury

Town still had chances with Dave Botterill hitting a long shot narrowly over the bar, and from the second of successive corners Daniel Jones had to head off the line to keep United’s advantage.

Time had run out for the visitors, who would have had an all-Kent clash against Ramsgate in the 1st Qualifying Round to look forward to, and in stoppage time a Baines low shot was held by Overland, before Armstrong crashed a shot over having been teed up by Acheampong in what proved to be the last kick of the game.

Progress in two cup competitions represents a very satisfying week for Aylesbury, and the Ducks can take confidence as they return to league action at Potters Bar Town looking to get some all important points on the board.

United’s reward for their win, aside from £2500 in prize money, is the previously mentioned home game against another Ryman League Division One South team from Kent in the shape of Ramsgate, in two weeks time.