With a third straight win, Aylesbury United moved up to their fifth in the table, and their highest league position since promotion back to the Southern League.
Bill Morgan (working) and Jake Bewley (injured) both returned to the starting lineup as the Ducks were able to name their first choice back four, and went on to not only keep a clean sheet with a resolute defensive performance, but also become the first side to take points at Parkfield against a Potters Bar Town team who had won all four of their previous home games.
Potters Bar, riding high in third place going into the match, had an early penalty appeal turned down when Shane Wood went in strongly with Evandro Delgado, but after that it was Aylesbury who chances to go ahead.
Paul Edgeworth played a square pass to Steve Hatch who found himself in space as his opposing defender slipped, but fired over the bar from just outside the box. Edgeworth then won a corner from which Bill Morgan headed over when he should have at least hit the target.
Delgado was a constant menace from his left-sided position, and his dangerous cross in the tenth minute had to be punched away by Jack Sillitoe just ahead of Town’s leading scorer Josh Hutchinson, and Sillitoe was semi-employed again when Lamar Simpson’s long shot deflected through to him.
Opposite number Mike Underwood was soon scrambling to claw the ball off the line at the other end, the linesman adjudging it not to have entered the net although coming directly from Shane Wood’s long throw a corner kick would have been the outcome.
Stacey Field had a clear sight of goal midway through the half when the bustling Hatch played the ball through for him, but having turned into space he could only scuff his effort wide.
Potters Bar Town took their opportunity to fashion a couple of openings of their own, the ball being squared inside to Alex Shepherd who crashed a shot over, and then Simpson and Dipo Akinyemi combining on the right to set up Hutchinson whose effort was well blocked by Shane Wood.
The resulting corner kick gave way to an Aylesbury counter attack, which ended with Field breaking down the left and squaring for Waites in the area who twisted and turned before shooting straight at Underwood.
Another Potters Bar long shot, this time from Hutchinson, was caught by Sillitoe, but it was giant centre half Tom Boxer who had his side’s clearest opening when he got up to head an inswinging free kick wide of the target.
Aylesbury were quickly back at the other end, and after Stacey Field’s swirling cross had to be tipped over by Underwood, they finally had a breakthrough.
The initial corner was headed out, after which Morgan had a header cleared off the line, Edgeworth a shot blocked, before it was worked back to Jack Wood. His first header was again blocked on the line, before the alert skipper made himself first to the rebound and nodded it into the unguarded opposite corner. 1-0 Aylesbury
Potters Bar could have levelled before the break when the unmarked Akinyemi was left unattended at a corner kick but headed over.
Half-time: Potters Bar Town 0-1 Aylesbury
A slow start to the second period saw a number of corner kicks for both sides come to nothing, before the Ducks were first to go close when Waites drifted infield and hit a cross-cum-shot that curled wide.
Another Aylesbury corner saw Jack Wood spoon the ball over from close range as it came in low and at pace to him.
Town made all three of their substitutions as they chased the game, and after Shaun Owens had charged down a Delgado shot outside the box the hosts were gifted a great chance when Bewley passed the ball straight to Hutchinson, but he could only shoot straight at Sillitoe.
With eleven minutes remaining Delgado got the better of the defence to break down the left again, but his low ball into the six yard box was just behind Hutchinson and United were able to clear.
The former Chalfont St. Peter striker then soared high to get himself on the end of a cross, though was only able to head straight into the grateful Sillitoe’s arms.
Field had the opportunity to wrap the game up when he latched onto Edgeworth’s flick on and outstripped the defence, but his finish was weak and easily dived on by Underwood.
United could have been made to pay as in stoppage time, a cheaply conceded free kick gave Town a great chance to level. Matt Clifford struck the set piece straight into the wall, but worked back to Hutchinson who in turn fed Clifford whose low ball into the box was turned behind as Aylesbury’s superb defence stayed solid until the end.
Time had run out and Potters Bar were condemned to their first non-victory at home this season by a dogged and determined Ducks performance.
Having proved once again they need fear no one this year, Aylesbury now turn their attentions to the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup and a first ever trip to newly promoted Southern League Division One South & West outfit Wantage Town.
