Aylesbury’s mini unbeaten run was brought to a shuddering halt by Ware, as the Ducks were unable to build on their midweek win over Leighton Town, slumping to a 2-1 defeat in Hertfordshire.
With Leighton themselves winning away it’s therefore a case of ‘as you were’ a week earlier, with the gap between the Ducks and relegation zone back down to one point.
Glyn Creaser made one change to his team, Stacey Field coming in to replace Vinnie Shrieves up front, and he scored for the first time since November to give the Ducks some hope having fallen two-goals behind in the second half.
Ware took the game to the Ducks in the opening exchanges, forcing two early corners that came to nothing, but it was Aylesbury who had the first two shots on goal when first a curling shot from Bruno Brito was caught by Tom Coulton, and then Sonny French’s low dribble and shot was also safely held.
The hosts then went for goal for the first time when the dangerous Murat Karagul stepped past two challenges but saw his shot fly wide from a tight angle.
On the half hour mark United intercepted an attempted Alaa Oujdi pass, the ball running through to Stacey Field who sent a snapshot sailing over the crossbar.
Ware then came close to opening the scoring with the best chance of the first half. Dernell Wynter sprung the offside trap to go clean through, the in-form striker partially rounding Zaki Oualah and shoot for the empty goal only for the keeper to make a fine low save.
It was the unlikely figure of Chris Crook who was to have Aylesbury’s best opportunity of the first period when Jake Bewley’s free kick into the box eventually fell at his feet, but the defender was unable to get a clean shot away.
A Sonny French shot from range was deflected wide, and the away side finished the half strongly with Bewley’s corner being helped towards goal by Crook and then flicked over from close range by Field, before Bewley himself went close three minutes from the interval with a direct free kick that was narrowly too high.
Half-time: Ware 0-0 Aylesbury
Barely a minute into the second half and Aylesbury had a glorious chance to open the scoring when Bewley’s cross came across to an unmarked Lea Coulter but he got his first time hit all wrong and the ball flew high and wide.
Aylesbury had given a good account of themselves to that point, and it was important that they maintained their defensive concentration against two strikers on top of their games – Wynter having scored in four games running and Bishop in five.
Sadly, that proved too much of an ask for the Ducks and in the blink of an eye one defensive mistake had Ware edging in front. Crook made a horrible mess of dealing with a long ball, presenting it straight to Bishop who had no problem taking it beyond Oualah and finding the net for his 27th of the season. 1-0 Ware
Nine minutes later and the game was seemingly put out of Aylesbury’s reach. Khale Dacosta marked his 100th Ware appearance with an assist - getting free down the right flank to flash a ball across the face of goal where Bishop was unable to convert, but Karagul was on hand to score. 2-0 Ware
Karagul nearly turned provider in the 70th minute when he got down the left to drive in a cross which Oualah could only beat out, and Bishop, having to react quickly, prodded the rebound wide from five-yards out.
Aylesbury kept plugging away and, after Shaun Owens’s testing free kick was scrambled off the line, were finally rewarded. Another Owens free kick delivery was headed back across goal by Wood, who found Field to volley into the bottom corner. 1-2
Whilst the Ducks were back in the game, it was Ware who next twice went close through Wynter, when he came inside before seeing a right footed shot gathered in by Oualah with Karagul closing in. Next, he set off on a mazy dribble but couldn’t find an end product as his effort crashed over.
United tried to turn up the heat as the game entered its final five minutes, and they came close at a corner kick that Williams flicked goalwards, where Wood redirected the ball goalwards only to see it stopped on the line by Coulton.
Three minutes from time and yet another set piece, this time a deep free kick, was launched into the box where a combination of Wood and Coulter were found unmarked but between them the duo contrived to put the ball wide.
That was as close as Aylesbury were to come, and a late Ware free kick from Dacosta going over the bar was to be the final action of a match the Ducks will justifiably feel aggrieved at having lost.
