Archie Davis again produces a number of top-quality saves as The Ducks were held on their travels against Kempston Rovers. Despite being in front at half time, the Ducks relied on a late leveller from Benji Aghadiuno to rescue a point.

The Ducks needed to bounce back from a Boxing Day defeat to end 2018 on positive terms and despite a slow start, The Ducks took the lead out of nowhere. In the 10th minute, Kieran Lataille played a cross field ball to Harry Jones who immediately struck a pass to Horatio Hirst, the number 10 shot on the turn and the ball rolled into the bottom corner. 1-0 Aylesbury

After taking the lead, the Ducks had to withstand pressure from the hosts as they went close a number of times. First in the 18th minute, Harry Tucker’s back-pass fell way short of Archie Davis and Rover’s forward Scott Joseph latched on and ran through but his effort on goal could only force a save from Davis. Four minutes later, Kempston forced Davis into another stop. The ball deflected into a nice area for Shane Bush to volley at goal but the Duck’s stopper was there to deny him, the loose ball deflected of Izale McLeod but only just bounced over the bar.

Despite the pressure, The Ducks managed to find an attempt on goal when Tucker’s cross dropped early for Aaron Berry, but he could only get a toe on the ball and it rolled wide on 26 minutes. A minute later, Kempston had their best chance of the game Domenico Morgillo fed Bush through but his effort was phenomenally denied by Davis once again.

The last real chance before the break came early on the half hour mark when Rovers’ winger Nathan Tshikuna trickily lost his defender and cut inside but curled his effort wide of the goal. Before the break Berry got himself in the book for kicking the ball away.

Half-time: Kempston 0-1 Aylesbury

After the restart, The Ducks again found themselves on the backfoot. Tshikuna attempted what looked to be an audacious effort from distance, but the shot flew nicely towards the goal and hit the bar from 40 yards.

United’s first attempt of the second half came after ten minutes of the restart. Max Hercules exceptionally lost three defenders before charging down the left-hand side, Lataille received the ball from the winger before striking just wide. Rovers went straight up the other end as again Tshikuna was causing problems. He charged the line before shooting at a tight angle, only to be denied again by Davis.

On the hour mark, Tshikuna again carried the ball near the edge of the box before shooting into Davis’ arms.

5 minutes later, the pressure gave in. McLeod latched onto a terrific ball from Scott Joseph before cutting in and placing the ball into the top corner. Nothing Davis could do about that one. 1-1

The Ducks responded with a change, Jones made way for Tre Mitford. With 15 minutes to go, Davis again produced the goods for Aylesbury, Tshikuna again attempted a quality effort from out wide, and it looked to be floating into the top corner but a tremendous tip onto the post from the Ducks keeper denied Rovers.

The ball went straight up the other end and The Ducks had a chance of their own. Jake Bewley whipped a free kick towards the back post and Jack Wood rose highest but he was wonderfully denied by Tom Wyant in the Kempston goal.

With 8 minutes to go, The Ducks were behind. Terrific work from McLeod as he made space in the middle before feeding Bush in behind who slotted home. 2-1 Kempston

Aylesbury then made two changes to shift things up, Hercules and Hirst made way for debutant Anthony Ball and Benji Aghadiuno.

The Ducks changes seemed to pay off as two of the changes combined for a leveller. Mitford ran the left had side before finding space for a shot, although his effort hit the far post, the ball fell nicely for Aghadiuno to bundle home. 2-2

The Ducks had to withstand pressure in added time when Ben Shephard’s free kick was headed just over by Bush. Despite the pressure in added time, The Ducks held on and the game finished at 2-2. A draw for United means they ended a short run of losses and gain a point on the board. Next up is the New Years Day derby against Aylesbury FC at the Meadow.