Aylesbury were unable to maintain their 100% away record, but did secure a useful point at Northwood with their first draw of the season.

Although Zaki Oualah made a string of fine saves, the match was not a completely one-sided affair, the Woods simply much more decisive in the final third – a black art which continues to elude the Ducks so far this season, despite now moving up to third in the table.

There were two changes to the United side that had come back to beat Bedford a week earlier, with Vijon Sentain drafted in for his first Aylesbury start, and Greg Williams replacing Jordon Frederick in midfield.

Both goalkeepers were called into action inside the first four minutes. The ball found its way over the defence to Woods’ attacking full back Julian Smith whose drive was well stopped by Oualah, before the rebound was smashed over the bar.

Then, seconds later, Sonny French played a neat one-two with Sentain to see his own low effort turned behind by Montel Joseph, the resulting corner kick flicked over at the near post by match winner one week earlier, Ryan Kinnane.

After French blazed an ambitious long shot over, Sentain had a shot blocked where it rebounded to Reece Cameron whose low shot was comfortably held by Joseph, and it was Cameron involved again when he got the better of Smith to reach a raking pass forwards but tried a first time lob that was well off target.

Greg Williams was the next to try a shot when he hooked a volley on target that was caught by Joseph after Sentain had helped the ball on, whilst Cameron forced Joseph into another save on the half mark when a free kick was touched to him for a drive goalwards.

Prior to that, Northwood’s most meaningful attack was instigated by the dangerous Louis Bircham who played a one-two before seeing his shot saved by Oualah, with a follow up attempt also blocked.

But on 35 minutes, the hosts showed how clinical they could be by going ahead. Bircham was involved again, as he advanced into the box before screwing a shot across goal where Ryan Debattista tapped in from close range. 1-0 Northwood

With a new-found confidence, the hosts then went in search of a second. Bircham – one of several new faces to join the club in the summer – was usually involved, and a twisting, turning run took him to the edge of the box where he was only foiled by a fine Oualah save.

A free header was then afforded to ex-Aylesbury man and Northwood manager Mark Burgess from Louis Stead’s corner kick delivery, but he planted the ball wide of the target.

The entertainment was still in rich supply in the closing stages of the half, with Aylesbury next go close when Jack Wood found Cameron wide on the right, and his excellent touch and cross was headed wide by Sentain.

Bircham twice more went close in the space of two minutes, firstly beating Jake Bewley for skill and firing in low, Oualah saving again, and then getting ahead of the full back to receive a searching pass but crashing a shot into the side netting.

Half-time: Northwood 1-0 Aylesbury

The Northwood number 7 was just as tricky a customer after the interval, and when he latched onto a weak defensive header early on struck a decent shot that required good fielding from Oualah.

A surge forwards from the dynamic Ollie Hogg then set up Aylesbury’s first chance of the second half, when he slipped a pass through for Sentain who beat Joseph to the ball but chipped it just wide.

A minute later and a cross in from the left found Bircham yet again, and this time his shot was superbly blocked by a combination of Bewley and Oualah down on the post.

The Ducks survived a handball appeal against Williams, before Bircham’s corner kick was met by Joe Budden climbing above Kinnane where his header was tipped over athletically by Oualah. This time the corner came to an unmarked James Burgess who could only shoot weakly straight at Oualah.

Three minutes later and Aylesbury were level, courtesy of an absolute gift. Mark Burgess played a back pass to Joseph that put him under pressure immediately, and as he chose to take a touch instead of clearing Sentain was in quickly to block. The ball rolled loose to Cameron whose shot across goal was met by the arriving French to tap in from an almost identical position to Debattista earlier. 1-1

Another corner was headed over by Northwood, before the game began to become fractured by yellow cards and substitutions – with Taylor Collins first to enter the fray for United.

Aylesbury spurned a glorious chance to go ahead with 15 minutes remaining when a ball forward was inadvertently helped on by a defender into the path of Sentain, putting him one-on-one with the goalkeeper only for Budden to get back with superb saving challenge.

The resulting corner saw Sentain unable to do better, as the ball was redelivered to the striker who made a mess with his finish and once again couldn’t test Joseph.

Ollie Hogg tried his luck from the edge of the box with a low shot that went just wide, and his opposite number Louis Stead then attempted similar but made somewhat better contact that needed Oualah to get down low and tip the ball wide.

With three minutes remaining and Oualah made another splendid save to tip the ball wide from Bircham’s shot hit from just inside the area.

There was still some last ditch defending to be done by the Ducks as the game came to an end, with the French brothers Ehui thrown into the action – Ismael Ehui having recently returned to Northwood from Hayes & Yeading United – but the emerging defensive partnership of Wood and Kinnane did a good job in keeping the door shut, to earn a decent away point for Aylesbury.