Aylesbury’s good start to the season continued with a third win from four of their opening league fixtures, as the Ducks came from behind to win at home to Fleet Town.

Manager Glyn Creaser opted for an unchanged lineup from that which had beaten Fleet’s Hampshire rivals Petersfield Town four days earlier, although Sonny French was in the squad for the first time of the campaign as he took a place on the bench.

Despite a dominant start to the game which saw Aylesbury camped in and around the visitors’ area, it was the away side who took an early lead with an excellently taken counter attacking goal. Winger Danilo Cadete lead a break down the right before delivering a fine cross which was met Ben White’s top corner header, giving Zaki Oualah no chance. 1-0 Fleet

A minute later and Fleet were attacking again, as a cross from the opposite flank this time fell to Cadete who could only skew his first time shot well wide.

Then forcing a number of corners, Town continued to look dangerous and from the third James Scott should have done better having engineered space for himself, but headed over.

At the other end Aylesbury had flag kick of their own; a training ground routine seeing Reece Cameron’s shot blocked, before Taylor Collins got on the end of Cameron’s own corner but only headed straight at goalkeeper Ryan Pryce.

The game swung from end to end and yet another Fleet corner was worked back for player-manager Craig Davis to smash a rising shot over the bar.

Aylesbury were unruffled as they refused to deviate from their plan of playing passing football on the excellent Thame pitch, and began to string some decent moves together.

Right back Gavin Hinds-Cadette went on a driving run at the heart of the defence and played a slick one-two before seeing his shot blocked, with the resulting corner flicked narrowly over the bar by Ellis Hercules.

Jack Wood then did similar from the left, linking up with Bruno Brito before planting a shot well over the bar.

Still Fleet kept coming though, and a marauding run from their summer signing Dan Williamson saw Cadete only produce an air-shot, but the ball ran kindly for Scott who should have done better than lifting a shot over from the edge of the box.

Either side could have scored before the interval, but it was the Ducks who drew themselves level with five minutes remaining. Good work by Taylor Collins ended with him arrowing a low shot that had Pryce beaten. Unfortunately for him it rebounded back off the upright and across goal, but Jordon Frederick was in the right place to collect and rifle into the net and send the sides in level. 1-1

Half-time: Aylesbury 1-1 Fleet

Like in the first, United made a strong start to the second period with Brito drawing an early save from Pryce to tip his low shot wide, and with Fleet not having wised up to the earlier corner kick routine, Cameron had another shot blocked.

The game continued with both sides attacking at every opportunity, and Fleet nearly capitalised on an error by Hercules as the ball bounced over him, White feeding Cadete whose effort was charged down.

Sonny French entered the fray on the hour mark, replacing Brito, and it was Aylesbury next to threaten with a flowing move that ended with Frederick shooting wide just outside the box.

It was to be United who edged in front, with just over twenty minutes remaining. Cameron’s pinpoint free kick delivery from the right was met perfectly by Hercules, who sent a header sailing into the net. 2-1 Aylesbury

The goal sparked the visitors into action, and over the next ten minutes the Ducks found themselves under siege. Firstly a deflected shot from Williamson was met with the faintest of touches from Watts to beat Oualah but see the ball come back off the post.

White’s shot was then blocked by Hercules, before a follow up effort driven in stung the palms of the suddenly busy Oualah.

That lead to a corner kick and one of the game’s biggest talking points. The inswinging delivery went over the goalkeeper’s head and seemed to have been bundled into the net by the charging group of Fleet players at the far post, but as the ball was scrambled out at what must have been the last second, neither linesman or referee were moved to award a goal.

Play went on and seconds later a Town free kick was headed out only as far as Watts, whose curling shot brought about the save of the game from Oualah – athletically tipping the ball wide of the top corner.

There was further controversy on 77 minutes when strong penalty shouts from the visitors were waved away, as White went sprawling in the box between two defenders when trying to get on the end of another dangerous cross.

Having ridden the storm, Aylesbury were then able to go on the offensive themselves as the match entered its final ten minutes. Good jockeying from Sonny French saw him retrieve the ball from a defender, where it ran for Collins to nip in ahead of the keeper but Pryce smuggled it behind.

The subsequent corner was met by substitute Greg Williams with a near post flick, but the ball was cleared off the line.

Aylesbury didn’t have long to wait for a third to finally put the game to bed. The tireless Collins made another darting run into the box, before being barged over from behind, and this time Mr Gospel had not hesitation in pointing to the spot. Reece Cameron stepped up and smashed home the penalty. 3-1 Aylesbury

With little time remaining, United comfortably rode out their lead until full time, indeed it was the Ducks who went closest to adding to their margin when a confident-looking Cameron tried his luck from range but fizzed a drive just past the upright.

An entertaining game and one Fleet can feel hard done by at the final score, but the Ducks won’t let that worry them as they now take a well-earned break from league action with Biggleswade United next up in the FA Cup Preliminary Round tie.