At the fifth time of asking, Aylesbury United finally ended their losing run in the derby with Aylesbury FC, as a dogged defensive display earned them a point and a goalless draw at Haywood Way.

In the warm Bank Holiday sunshine it was a game of few clear cut chances to entertain the 500-strong crowd, and at full time few could argue that a point each was a fair outcome.

Following the weekend’s heavy defeat against Hanwell Town, Ducks manager Tony Joyce made five changes to his side including returns for Jason Blackett and Steve Hatch, whilst Shane Wood, Greg Williams and Jake Bewley were all recalled having been rested.

The opening stages of a scrappy first half saw the game stopped for injury more than the ball was in play, with Blackett, Shane Wood and Lee Grace all taking knocks in the first ten minutes. Shane Wood’s the most serious leading to the early introduction of Shaun Owens and a team reshuffle that saw right-back Hatch move into the centre, where he was excellent alongside Jack Wood.

FC forced a number of corner kicks in the first twenty minutes and although most of the deliveries were disappointing Brad Wadkins nodded wide beyond the far post with one, before Brian Haule headed over from another.

A United corner – taken by Sonny French, the former Haywood Way favourite playing for the Ducks after a recent switch - then saw Stacey Field shank a volley over the bar having been set up by Blackett, but half chances were as good as it got with Ryan O’Toole’s neat turn past two defenders engineering one for himself but he lashed a shot high and wide.

Another corner for the away side lead to a quick FC counter attack as Gareth Price galloped free, and when he was unceremoniously hacked down by Bewley the United man earned the game’s only yellow card.

On 41 minutes a rare flowing move saw the Ducks fashion their best chance of the half. That man French slotted the ball through for Field whose early shot bounced across goal and just past the far post.

In stoppage time Ben Stevens became the latest player to leave the field injured following a nasty looking collision with goalkeeper Dan Green, but he was soon back on the pitch as Aylesbury FC forced three successive corners, Davis Haule hooking a shot over as the ball dropped to him on the edge of the box the closest they came to breaking the deadlock.

Half-time: Aylesbury FC 0-0 Aylesbury United

The hosts looked to up the tempo at the start of the second half, and they did so almost literally early on as Price’s burst of pace took him away on the right where his low cross was flicked straight into the waiting arms of Green by Aston Goss.

Price then won the ball back from Bewley but put the ball wastefully over the bar as he charged into the box and another burst by the lively winger a minute later saw him find O’Toole whose dipping volley was only matched by a superb tip over by Green.

The resulting corner was met with a free header by Jeanmal Prosper, which he could only direct straight at Green.

Ducks skipper Jack Wood then joined the list of those receiving treatment, with striker Jason Blackett briefly deputising in central defence before his captain rejoined the action.

The game continued to be short on genuine goalmouth action, with the teams apparently having exhausted their supply of goals having shared 12 in the two meetings earlier in the season.

Stacey Field curled a 25-yard free kick the wrong side of the post into the side netting, before the most likely looking spark – Sonny French – went on a fine slalom run taking him past a number of defenders before slipping the ball into Owens who took momentarily too long to get a shot away allowing James Weatherhill to narrow the angle sufficiently and make a save.

That was to be United’s best and final chance of the second period, but they had to continue defending strongly as another run of FC had to be dealt with. The last chance of the game went the way of the hosts when Ben Stevens met an 86th minute Connor Baker corner but fired wide, and it finished honours even.