In 2012, Aylesbury formed a guard of honour for Royston Town at Bell Close, before promptly going on to beat the newly-crowned Spartan South Midlands champions 3-0.

Five-years later the Ducks were forming a guard of honour for the Crows again, and, leading 2-0 at half time, looked destined to spoil Town’s promotion party that would see them presented the league trophy at the final whistle.

Royston had other ideas though, upping their game to a level that saw them blitz Aylesbury with four goals in a crazy nine-minute spell early in the second half to eventually take a comprehensive win.

In the first minute the hosts could have been ahead when John Frendo was teed up on the edge of the box to slam a shot wide, but it clearly wasn’t to be entirely one-way traffic as [player name removed] – making his first start of the season – tested home keeper Joe Welch with a curling shot soon afterwards.

A spectacular early hit from Frendo flew wide, which was matched by a 40-yard volley from Sonny French that wasn’t too far away from the empty net as Welch backpeddled.

The Crows called Jack Sillitoe into action on seven minutes when Josh Castiglione got free down the left where his low cross into the box was met by Kaan Fehmi but Sillitoe made a fine point-blank reaction save to keep the ball out.

Five minutes later the large home crowd were silenced by United taking a shock lead. [name removed]'s cross from the left was mishit by French as it dropped, but Coulter was in the right place to fire home past Welch. 1-0 Aylesbury

It was nearly two almost straight away when the unlikely figure of Alex Collard turned provider with a low ball into the area for Jack Wood to turn goalwards, the United skipper only denied by a great save from Welch.

As Aylesbury worked hard to preserve their lead, Ryan Kinnane blocked from Castiglione from a tight angle, whilst a spell of pressure saw the ball worked back Towner lurking just inside the box, but he could only fire a shot into the ground that bounced straight through to Sillitoe.

French was pulling all the first half strings, and when he ran at Ryan Frater he left the giant defender on his backside before seeing a superb 20-yard shot cannon back off the crossbar. The ball rebounded to Coulter, who leapt well, but his header also hit the bar.

Aylesbury weren’t to rue their luck for long, scoring a second just past the half hour mark. French, again, was the instigator – doing superbly to steal the ball back from Adam Watkins before sliding it through for Coulter who finished clinically. 2-0 Aylesbury

Watkins was keen to make amends quickly as he fired in a curling shot that Sillitoe just about clung on to under pressure, which was similar to United’s end to the half – Royston putting them under plenty of pressure but their lead was held to the interval.

Half-time: Royston 0-2 Aylesbury

It took just five second half minutes for Royston to halve their deficit. A half clearance fell at the feet of Scott Bridges who struck a superb long-range swerving shot that nestled low in Sillitoe’s bottom corner; his 25th goal of the season. 1-2

Half time substitute Adam Murray then levelled the match when he met Guy Scott-Morris’s corner kick delivery, the ball taking a couple of ricochets on its way past Sillitoe. 2-2

Almost immediately, it was three. A half cleared free kick was hoisted back into the box, where Murray levered it down to defensive colleague Daniel Brathwaite well positioned to easily score. 3-2 Royston

The Ducks were further stunned as a game they had been leading was now well out of their sight, with a fourth arriving from the penalty spot. A harsh spot kick award against Kinnane for handball gave Fehmi the chance and he duly found the top corner. 4-2 Royston

The second half continued to be chalk and cheese to the first, the Crows now on a completely different level befitting of their ‘champions’ tag, whilst United were barely able to string two passes together – Sonny French having been effectively marginalised and space no longer existing where it had previously.

A clear-cut penalty award against substitute Nick Kalakoutis – leaving a leg dangling to bring down an attacker – then gave Fehmi the opportunity for his 100th Royston goal, but he was denied by a good save by Sillitoe down left to his right.

Chances for the hosts kept coming, Martel Powell getting the crowd purring with some fancy footwork that lead to a left wing cross being headed wide by fellow substitute Ryan Ingrey.

Meanwhile, a rare opening for Aylesbury saw Jack Wood get free at a deep free kick, just unable to make meaningful contact with his header. Alex Collard also had a sight of goal when French’s corner found its way to him but he miscued over.

In stoppage time Scott-Morris bent a shot just wide, but three minutes after the elapsed ninety, he provided another inviting corner kick delivery that Murray met full on to add his side’s fifth. 5-2

Ultimately a comprehensive win for Royston who were able to party with the sizeable home crowd as they lifted the championship trophy. For Aylesbury, another league encounter on Bank Holiday Monday where they take on Kidlington in a last ever ‘home’ match at Thame.

Lastly, a final thought back to 2012, when Royston were last promoted as Champions, the Ducks gained promotion the very next season...