Aylesbury ended a successful first season back in the Southern League on a high note, with a 1-0 win over already relegated Ashford Town (Mx) securing them a 12th placed final spot.

It was the second tight game between the sides of the campaign, with Keith Williams scoring the decisive goal, his sixth for the club, just past the hour mark, before the Ducks later came under some heavy pressure from a side battling to finish off the bottom of the table – and possibly earn a reprieve from the drop.

United showed three changes from the 4-1 Bank Holiday defeat at Beaconsfield SYCOB, as Bill Morgan, Zack Reynolds and Joey Acheampong all returned in place of Daniel Jones (on the bench)m Ben Baines (absent) and Paul Edgeworth (sidelined with two broken ribs).

It took until the 12th minute before the game’s first meaningful opening, a result of the good understanding between the two strikers as Acheampong levered it down for his partner Stacey Field whose instant hit from 25-yards grazed the crossbar.

The two combined again just four minutes later, Acheampong flicking on a long free kick for Field who couldn’t get enough purchase on his shot to seriously test Tyler Tobin in goal.

Ashford then had two good chances of their own to take the lead as firstly a free kick into the box found Scott Weight unmarked, but the Tangerines’ joint top scorer saw his header bounce wide of the upright.

Two minutes later and a superb long run with the ball by Samad Kazi ended with his shot saved by the legs of Jack Sillitoe who had advanced from his goal.

Kazi it was who had the next effort too, capitalising on a cut back after Bill Morgan had been robbed when trying to over elaborate, this time Steve Hatch doing well to block his shot.

Nine minutes from the break and Ashford wasted another good opening as a long ball found Dan Hughes in the box, but, faced with only the keeper, he got his feet tangled at the crucial moment allowing Sillitoe to smother.

Having weathered the notable pressure from the visitors, it was then Aylesbury’s turn to go close when the ball dropped to Field whose half volley into the box was turned wide by Hatch inside the six yard box, and the deadlock remained.

Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Ashford

The Ducks started the second period brightly, Hatch heading a corner kick wide before Tobin atoned for a poor goal kick, intercepted by Field, saving the United striker’s shot after he had run clear.

Conor Moody should have done better when a ball out of defence released him on the right wing, but his attempted cut back was easily held by Sillitoe, whilst a corner kick was almost more successful shortly afterwards when the redelivered ball was met by a Hughes bicycle kick that flew just wide.

The turning point – and biggest talking point – of the game came in the 62nd minute as substitute Daniel Jones, on for Liam Smyth only four minutes earlier, was pushed in the back – what appeared to be just inside the area.

Ashford supporters were aghast at the decision – although those behind the goal with the best view affirmed it was a clear call; Aylesbury supporters aghast at the lack of penalty kick.

In any case, Keith Williams stepped up and drilled in a low free kick which the defensive wall jumped over leaving the exposed Tobin rooted to the spot as the ball flew into the net past him. 1-0 Aylesbury

The visitors made a double substitution in their efforts to chase the game, but chances continued to come at both ends with an Alex Fisher free kick easily caught by Sillitoe, and Field volleying over and Greg Williams seeing a near post shot blocked from Jones’s corner, the subsequent flag kick then nodded wide by Acheampong.

Inside the final ten minutes Jones released Field, whose shot was saved by the legs of Tobin, and Grace had a shot blocked after Acheampong was first to the ball ahead of Tobin before teeing him up.

Ashford pressed hard in the closing moments, and thought they had their reward three minutes from time when a low ball into the box was tapped in from close range, only for the joy to prove shortlived by the raised flag of the nearside linesman.

After Aylesbury used up both their remaining substitutes – as Liam Murphy and Lee Bircham both came on, the Tangerines wasted a corner kick opportunity by taking it too quickly and the defence cleared.

Then, in the second minute of stoppage time, a ball into the box found Kazi, the visitors’ most threatening player throughout, but his shot on the turn was well blocked and United’s defence wasn’t to be breached.

A good ending to a pleasing season for United.