Aylesbury made the relatively short journey to their South Bucks neighbours in good spirits on the back of four straight wins. But after their midweek cup heroics, they were brought crashing back down to earth by a 3-2 defeat.

Mill Meadow has been an unhappy hunting ground for the Ducks of late, and when they fell behind after just eight minutes that things looked unlikely to improve. An intercepted Jack Wood pass allowed Josh Kelly to slot the ball through for Jake Cass who produced a composed finish to beat Zaki Oualah. 1-0 Chalfont

In truth though, the goal had come against the early run of play with Bruno Brito having already curled a shot wide, before Greg Williams hooked a volley over in the minutes following the opener.

Gavin Hinds-Cadette, who had retained his right-back slot ahead of Jonny Miller, then started the next move from the right by finding Coulter, who clipped in a cross that Brito headed over.

Three minutes later Frederick fed a pass through to Coulter who was denied on the near post by a strong block by goalkeeper Carl Dennison. When it broke, Hinds-Cadette crossed the ball back in for Williams to plant a header wide.

Another flowing move from Aylesbury saw Brito release the overlapping Bewley whose low cross was swept straight at the keeper by Coulter.

Growing frustrated at their failure to unpick a resolute home defence, United somewhat lost their way as the midpoint of the half passed, with Chalfont able to go close themselves.

Cass should have done better when a corner kick fell his way, but fired a misdirected volley well wide. He went closer shortly afterwards with a well executed dipping shot that dropped just over the bar.

The unfortunate Chalfont number nine was then forced off with a hip injury, and replaced in attack by Tyrone Pink.

The Saints had a further chance when Alex Paine found Josh Kelly in the box who somehow managed to wriggle free and get a shot away, but it was straight at Oualah.

The half ended with Aylesbury’s best chance to that point, but having sparkled in his previous recent games, Brito’s magic eluded him as he could only hammer wide having run onto Williams’s superb chipped pass.

Half-time: Chalfont 1-0 Aylesbury

United tried to impose themselves more as the second half started, and a succession of corners lead to pressure on goal with the first cross back in at the second attempt and having to be tipped over, whilst the second had to be similarly returned where it was met by a flying Jack Wood header that also had to be saved.

When the third corner was cleared, it was worked back into the box again to Alex Collard, still in an attacking position, who helped it on for Williams who could only scoop it over from 10-yards.

Coulter turned a deep free kick wide beyond the far post, before Ollie Stanbridge found himself on the end of a Brito cross from the right only to be kept at bay by the excellent Dennison as the chances continued to come.

When the lively Coulter got the better of the home defence on 66 minutes he picked out Brito in the box, but the Portuguese continued to draw a blank as he spooned over the gilt-edged chance from close range.

Aylesbury should have been immediately punished for their profligacy when Pink rode the challenge of Hinds-Cadette to break free, but, clearly not wanting to shoot with his left foot, his dithering ultimately made the save easy for Oualah from his eventual shot.

The Ducks’ finally told on 72 minutes when they found a well-deserved equaliser. Jake Bewley’s inswinging corner kick caused a brief scramble in the box, before falling to Coulter to smash into the net. 1-1

Thoughts now turned to whether United could continue their momentum and find a winner, and when French and Brito combined to set up Coulter again he could only shoot straight at Dennison.

Back came Chalfont again though, and when Kelly set up Pink on a counter attack his low shot from the edge of the box was comfortably held by Oualah, as was a shot after Pink had been found with a through ball.

Pink made amends for his missed chances when the same player re-established Chalfont’s lead with seven minutes remaining. As Aylesbury failed to clear their lines, the ball was cut back to the unmarked Saints substitute who produced a classy finish into the top corner. 2-1 Chalfont

In search of another equaliser, the Ducks pushed forwards, but, having overcommitted men forwards at a corner kick, conceded a killer third goal. Chalfont were able to break quickly, Luke Maguire beating Jonny Miller and Oualah to a long ball, squeezing home a low shot beyond the stranded goalkeeper from the edge of the area. 3-1 Chalfont

There was still time for Aylesbury to reduce the deficit to a more respectable scoreline through Alex Collard. The big defender saw a header from a deep free kick turned wide by Dennison, before getting on the end of Reece Cameron’s corner to find the net. 2-3

With six minutes of stoppage time played, it was literally the last action of the match, ending in disappointment for United, who had done enough to earn a point over the course of the game and on another day would have been celebrating all three.