Aylesbury United kicked off their season with a defeat at Kettering Town – named by many as title favourites in the Southern League Division One Central – and whilst a negative result there were enough promising signs to give encouragement for the Ducks.

Boss Tony Joyce handed summer signings Jake Bewley and Lea Coulter debuts and returns respectively, whilst new additions Jesse Waites and Shaun Owens both came on later as substitutes. Club captain Jack Wood missed out as he recovers from a medial ligament injury.

The Poppies were without the suspended Brett Solkhon, himself making a return after three years at Brackley Town, whilst fellow centre back Henry Eze was injured in the warmup leaving the hosts short on bodies and reshuffled in defence.

Unsurprisingly, there was some early lack of understanding amongst the makeshift defenders – usual midfielder Tommy Hull dropping back alongside late call up Dan Crowie, but apart from a wayward Bewley cross the Ducks were unable to capitalise.

In fact, Hull went on to have an imperious game, as the distinctively bouffanted player went on to be named Kettering’s man of the match.

After Josh Moreman had wasted a good opening for Kettering by opting to pass instead of shoot when unmarked, the game’s first clear opening came the way of Aylesbury. One of many dangerous runs by Zack Reynolds to the edge of the box saw the ball breaking through to Stacey Field with only Jamie McAlindon to beat, but the keeper matched his effort saving with his legs.

Kettering had a similarly good chance of their own on twenty-one minutes, created by a misplaced Lee Grace defensive header across his own area which fell straight at the feet of marksman Dubi Ogbonna, and his close range shot was kept out by Jack Sillitoe.

Steve Hatch, in his new advanced midfielder role, had to be on defensive duties to block a firmly struck shot from Kettering debutant Ross Oulton, whilst a Field snapshot missed the target at the other end five minutes later.

It marked the start of Aylesbury’s best spell of the match during which they could and maybe should have taken the lead. A quick throw in found Hatch who cut the ball back for Coulter whose effort was blocked in the area.

Three minutes later an inswinging corner from Paul Edgeworth was miss-kicked by Hatch, but it still came through to stand in captain Bill Morgan whose shot was cleared off the line.

Momentum began to swing the way of the home side again, and after one corner lead to some desperate defending it was another ball into the box which eventually lead to the opening goal, in first half stoppage time.

Sillitoe did well to claw a high ball away under strong pressure, and as it rebounded down a shot was slashed over the bar, but Ogbonna had been sent sprawling and the referee pointed to the spot.

Andrew Gooding stepped up and rifled home Kettering’s first goal of the season with a spot kick that would have given no goalkeeper a chance. 1-0 Kettering

Half-time: Kettering 1-0 Aylesbury

Slightly harsh a scoreline on the Ducks at the break, but Ogbonna nearly added a second almost immediately when, having twisted and turned on the edge of the area, unleashed a rising drive just past the outside of the post.

Instead, it was Aylesbury who found the net early in the half. Edgeworth delivered another dangerous inswinging corner kick where Steve Hatch made sure the referee noticed him being shoved in the back, with veteran Edgeworth finding the bottom corner just out of McAlindon’s reach having guessed the right way. 1-1

Within three minutes the Poppies had a goal disallowed when Ogbonna had a shot blocked, then found Hall with the rebound whose shot was saved by Sillitoe and although the second rebound was powered home the linesman’s flag was raised.

The excitement continued when the Ducks then had a chance of their own, a lofted ball finding Field wide left and as McAlindon hared from his goal his shot hit the leg of the wayward goalkeeper averting the danger.

Just before the hour mark Aylesbury chose to throw on Waites and Joey Acheampong, and the latter very nearly took advantage of some nervous Kettering defending but couldn’t quite beat McAlindon to a stray defensive pass across the area.

The two substitutes then combined as Waites threaded the ball through to Acheampong but his dinked effort fell wide of the target.

Prior to that, Robinson met a right wing cross with an off target diving header, and afterwards Ogbonna was causing trouble again as another fierce driven effort was excellently tipped over by Sillitoe.

The first corner was met by Clifton at the near post, the ball ricocheting behind for a successive set piece and Aylesbury hadn’t heeded the warning as Clifton made the same run and this time met Gooding’s delivery with a thumping header into the net. 2-1 Kettering

It was the game winning goal, but there was still plenty of action to come in the twenty remaining minutes.

Hatch, played in behind the defence, found Waites with a ball into the box but his shot was straight into the arms of McAlindon.

A driven Kettering corner kick lead to an incredible double block on the line by Grace denied Crowie, firstly a header which hit the bar and then Grace, and then the shot from the rebound also stopped by the Aylesbury full back.

Other than a couple of wayward long shots, it wasn’t until stoppage time when the Ducks pushed hard for an equaliser that either goal was seriously threatened. On 91 minutes Owens’s ball in from the left was met by Hatch, who couldn’t quite direct it goalwards under pressure and then, four minutes later, a manic scramble in the box saw four or five players take a stab at the ball, with Acheampong, Owens and Hatch all in close proximity, just unable to force it home.

Thus an opening day defeat for Aylesbury, starting against one of the top teams in the division for the second season in a row, but demonstrating no reason to be too downhearted at this stage.