The Ducks made two changes to the side that started last week against Kidlington, with Ollie Hogg returning in place of Lewis Osbourne in midfield and Ty Deacon making his full debut in place of the unavailable Melvy N’Somi.

Having disappointingly gone out of the FA Cup at home to Walthamstow, there was some nervousness around the ground, hoping for the team to fare better in the Trophy. The task wouldn’t be easy, with Sevenoaks Town currently second in the Isthmian League South East Division, suffering only two league defeats so far this season.

Last week the Ducks started quickly, scoring inside two minutes; today they had a great opportunity to score even earlier. Just 35 seconds were on the clock when Ollie Hogg won the ball in midfield and played the ball inside visiting right back Fraser Walker for David Manu to run onto. The winger’s well struck shot was goal bound until keeper Patrick Lee stuck out a leg to deflect the ball behind for a corner. The corner was headed behind for a second flag kick, which was well delivered by Hogg onto the head of Mark Riddick, who couldn’t keep his header down, the ball clearing the bar.

The action quickly switched to the other end, as Manu was penalised for bringing down Walker; Dan Parkinson swung in the free kick which was met by Adrian Stone, but his header looped up and was comfortably claimed by Jack Hopwood under his crossbar.

In the 9th minute, Manu won a free kick 25 yards from goal on the left. Hogg took the free kick and was unlucky to see his shot clip the bar, with keeper Lee stranded. Two minutes later, Riddick played a ball behind the defence, which Deacon ran onto, but his shot was mis hit and saved by Lee.

Despite their early dominance, it was the visitors who opened the scoring. After Jake Bewley fouled Walker on the right of the penalty area, Nathan Gordon swung the ball in towards the far post where Ben Gorham headed goal wards, only for the unlucky Jordan Jenkins to divert the ball past Hopwood. 1-0 Sevenoaks

Stung by conceding a rare goal, the Ducks continued in their attacking vein. Dave O’Connor carried the ball out of defence and after a period of patient passing, the ball fell to Manu 20 yards from goal. His shot deflected off Alex Fiddes and into the far corner to draw the Ducks level. 1-1

Five minutes later, Deacon received a ball and retained possession well. He laid the ball into the path of Anthony Ball, whose shot cum cross fizzed across goal, narrowly missing the far post. Shortly afterwards, good work by Hogg and Sonny French saw the latter shoot goal wards, only to see his shot deflect onto the far post. Deacon reacted quickly, but Lee was also alert and made a great save to deny him; the ball was cleared as far as French, but his shot from 20 yards was deflected over the bar. From Hogg’s delivery, Riddick met the ball 4 yards out, but couldn’t keep his header on target.

In the 36th minute, Jenkins lost the ball outside the penalty area, and after Manu couldn’t make a tackle, Bradley Schafer squared the ball to an unmarked Ainsley Everitt 15 yards out, who couldn’t keep his composure skying his shot over the bar.

Just before half time Hogg, who was pulling the strings in midfield, found Manu advancing towards the penalty area. He beat visiting skipper Tom Ripley, but his centre back partner Gorham put in a firm challenge, which was adjudged a foul by referee Alan Cox. After the ref brandished a yellow card for the tackle, Hogg stepped up and saw his free kick narrowly clear the bar, to bring an entertaining first half to an end.

Half-time: Aylesbury 1-1 Sevenoaks

From the start of the second half, it was clear that the visitors had changed tactically, denying the Ducks the space they had enjoyed in the first half and pressing forwards themselves. In the 50th minute, another set piece was to prove crucial, as Schafer played the ball to the far post, where Gorham rose unchallenged to head past Hopwood. 2-1 Sevenoaks

The game developed into a somewhat battle of the midfields in the following minutes, with neither side creating many clear-cut opportunities.

In an attempt to get his team back into the game manager Ben Williams introduced Sydney Ibie for his first appearance since suffering concussion at Bedford almost 4 weeks ago.

In the 66th minute, a Jack Wood throw in found Hogg, who laid the ball off to French on the edge of the box, but his left foot shot was narrowly wide of the near post. Four minutes later, another Hogg corner was met by Wood, whose header was cleared off the line, only for a follow up header to also be cleared off the line for a corner. From the subsequent flag kick, O’Connor met the ball in the 6-yard box, but his header cleared the bar.

With 10 minutes to go, the Ducks made their last two substitutions, with defensive players Bewley and Riddick sacrificed for more attacking options in Ben Seaton and Lewis Osbourne. It was Osbourne who was to make a vital impact as the clocked ticked towards 90 minutes. A throw in from Wood found Hogg, whose mishit shot found its way to the substitute at the far post, who stabbed it past Lee from point blank range. 2-2

The equaliser was well deserved, but the match almost took another twist right at the end. A corner for the visitors was missed at the near post by Seaton, the ball finding its way to Ripley at the far post whose header clipped the bar and went out for a goal kick. It was to be the last action of the match, resulting in a replay at Sevenoaks Town on Tuesday evening.