Following a disappointing week which saw the Ducks bow out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle, then get comfortably beaten at high flying Bedford Town 48 hours later, manager Ben Williams was able to welcome back Greg Williams, Ollie Hogg and Max Hercules to the starting line-up. Dropping out of the team were the injured Aaron Berry, Kierran Lataille and Chris Crook, who were both named on the substitute’s bench.

As at Yaxley 3 weeks earlier, the Ducks were soon into their stride on the 3G carpet, passing the ball comfortably, growing into the game. In the 9th minute a deep cross from Jeanmal Prosper on the right found Harry Jones at the far post. He headed the ball across goal to Ollie Hogg on the edge of the penalty area, who turned and shot, but his effort was straight at the home keeper Paul Hathaway.

Ten minutes later Jones was the next to try his luck, latching on to a Ben Seaton through ball, but disappointingly his shot rose over the crossbar.

Halfway through the first period, another deep cross from Prosper again found Jones at the far post; this time he found Williams arriving in the penalty area, but his shot was well saved at the foot of his post by Hathaway.

It took until the 37th minute for the home side to threaten the Ducks goal, a cross from George Washbourne on the right finding skipper Joe Halsall 12 yards out, but his header, under pressure from Prosper was over the crossbar.

In the 40th minute, Jones was fouled 25 yards from goal by Danny Tymon. As the pair got to their feet, for some reason Tymon aimed a headbutt at Jones right in front of the referee, who unsurprisingly brandished the red card. From the resulting free kick, Hogg send an effort wide of Hathaway’s left-hand post.

As the half drew to a close the Ducks had one last effort on goal; a long ball wide to Max Hercules resulted in the winger finding Jones, but his shot was screwed wide of the target.

Half-time: Coleshill 0-0 Aylesbury

Ten minutes into the second half a fine passing move from the back-involving Jack Wood, Callum Mapley and Jeanmal Prosper saw the ball reach Hogg on the edge of the area, but his fierce shot from 20 yards just cleared the crossbar.

Two minutes later, another fine move from the back involving Prosper and Hercules found Jones 15 yards from goal, but a saving tackle from substitute Giovanni Dainty saw the goalbound shot deflected into the side netting.

On the hour mark, a cross from Matt Jackson on the left was misjudged by Wood, falling to Reece Leek 12 yards from goal. Only a fine block tackle from Callum Mapley prevented the hosts from opening the scoring. Two minutes later a deep cross from Craig Deakin was headed away by Prosper, but only as far as Washbourne 15 yards from goal, but his header was off target.

On 67 minutes, a tackle 25 yards from goal on Jones by Guy Clark was penalised, with the defender picking up a yellow card for his troubles. Up stepped Hogg to take the free kick and in a rare moment of quality in the game, his shot was clawed onto the post by Hathaway, but his efforts were not enough to prevent the ball crossing the line and giving the Ducks a deserved lead. 1-0 Aylesbury

As the game entered the final quarter, the hosts increased their pressure on the Ducks’ goal. A Leek corner was taken short to Ryan Edmunds, whose cross was met by Tony Clarke, but the striker directed his header wide of goal.

With 9 minutes remaining, Wood brought the ball out of defence and found Prosper wide on the right. His deep cross was met by Hercules on the volley, but his shot was well saved at the near post by Hathaway.

As the match entered stoppage time, the hosts threw caution to the wind to attempt to secure an equaliser. A throw in found Jackson, whose cross was just missed by Clarke, ten yards from goal. The last attack saw a cross field ball find Edmunds on the right. He cut inside Jake Bewley and fired a shot goalwards, but wide of the target.

That was the final action, a game in which the Ducks dominated for most of the match, with only a lack of precision and care in front of goal preventing the scoreline being larger. It is telling that Cameron Yates in the Ducks goal was largely untroubled by the home attack. A 2 week break now due the FA Trophy departure sees the opportunity to nurse some injured players back to fitness before Sutton Coldfield are the visitors on Sat 3rd November.