A narrow 1-0 defeat brought an end to Aylesbury’s five-match winning run and an end to United’s interest in their first season FA Trophy campaign following promotion.

Ramsgate were the victors in a tight game decided by a 63rd minute penalty. At that point the better of the game’s few chances had gone their way of the home side, but Stacey Field’s sending off ten minutes later made United’s task even harder and they ultimately were unable to force a replay.

With Richard Armstrong also picking up his fifth suspension of the season, two suspensions to add to the already depleted squad would be the last thing Tony Joyce would have wanted.

Injured duo Jack Sillitoe and Shane Wood were replaced by debutant loanee Alex Tokarczyk and Jack Reynolds respectively, Liam Smyth also returned to midfield in place of Greg Williams whilst Dom Petrucci was back on the bench.

The game was slow to come to life, Paul Edgeworth’s audacious hooked volley effort from long range flying wide being the only meaningful goal action in the first twenty minutes.

Field had the first half’s best chance when a swept pass from midfield put him clean through, but opposing keeper Daren Hawkes made a good save with his legs.

Bill Morgan appeared to have his shirt pulled at the resulting corner, but the referee wasn’t interested, before Lee Grace struck a decent effort which was held by Hawkes a minute later after across came all the way across goal to him.

The scrappy nature of the game continued with neither side making much headway until Hawkes was busied again when Ben Baines fired in a long range shot, which the stopper dived on comfortably enough.

Ramsgate then fashioned their first clear cut opening of the game when a ball into the box from Ian Pulman was scuffed goalwards by full back James Sherman, and Tokarczyk was able to easily field.

On the stroke of half time United nearly fluked an opener when Edgeworth’s miss hit cross curled towards the top corner, but flew just past the upright, and it remained goalless at the interval.

Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Ramsgate

Although United were sluggish to get going after the break, seeing an arrowed low effort from Sherman turned away by the intervening Jack wood, it was they who then went close on two occasions.

Grace fed the advancing Field who opted for an early shot that flashed past the near post, and he then turned provider by playing in Baines to cross to the far post where Grace headed wide.

Aylesbury created more as Reynolds progressed down the right and clipped a cross into the box that Baines flicked goalwards but not with sufficient power to test Hawkes. Then, Armstrong sent a shot just over the bar as the ball broke for him on the edge of the box.

The game’s defining moment came just past the hour mark. Tokarczyk was surprised to see a ball forward make it through the defence, and as he came off his line was just beaten to the chase by Pulman, the resulting collision leaving the referee in no doubt and pointing to the spot.

Aylesbury’s protests – based mainly on Pulman already falling to the ground and not having the ball under control - fell on deaf ears and the vastly experienced Warren Schulz stepped up to fire home the spot kick, despite Tokarczyk guessing rightly. 1-0 Ramsgate

Joyce responded immediately by swapping Edgeworth for Joey Acheampong in attack, and his physical presence gave United a renewed focal point for the closing stages.

Acheampong should have brought the game level on 72 minutes when a header forwards set him free, but he missed the target with a shot rolling across the face of goal and wide.

Seconds later and Armstrong slotted just wide after Acheampong and Field’s link up down the right had teed him up with a square pass.

United were definitely showing enough to suggest an equaliser was on the way, but the Ducks were also getting frustrated and on 75 minutes a petulant kick out by Field on an opponent lead to his early dismissal.

The introduction of forward Dom Petrucci in place of defender Kevin Williams showed Aylesbury’s ‘go for broke’ mentality, and Petrucci was involved straight away as he fed Reynolds and he in turn crossed to Armstrong who headed wide.

In the last ten minutes Tokarczyk showed his credentials with a number of good saves keeping the visitors at bay, as Aylesbury committed men forward. A tremendous stop kept out a Pulman header, with Warren Schulz’s shot from the resulting corner blocked, then a good spreading save from point blank range denied a Ramgate breakaway goal and finally, in stoppage time, substitute Andy Miller burst through but couldn’t beat the keeper.

One last chance came Aylesbury’s way as a long ball put Petrucci in, but Hawkes matched his effort and turned the ball away.

That marked time up and despite their best efforts, United had been unable to force a replay, and bowed out of the competition.