After a chastening defeat at top of the table Corby Town last week, manager Ben Williams made two changes to the starting line up; Jordan Jenkins replaced Harry Jones in defence and Ty Deacon replaced the unavailable Ken Feyi. On the bench were new signings Alfi Touceda and Keaton August, whose signing from Walton Casuals was registered this morning.

On a crisp afternoon, the Ducks started well, a poor defensive clearance in the first minute fell to Anthony Ball, who found Sonny French whose shot from 20 yards hit the side netting. In the 7th minute, French won the ball in the centre circle and passed to Ty Deacon on the right side; the striker advanced towards the penalty area but his shot from 20 yards went across goal and out for a goal kick.

The next attack saw the Ducks take the lead their pressure warranted. A long diagonal pass from Jake Bewley on the left found Anthony Ball on the right. He cut inside Lawrie Marsh and played the ball across the penalty area to Max Hercules, who went around his defender and placed his shot past Tyler Josephs from the edge of the penalty area. 1-0 Aylesbury

After dominating the early exchanges, the Ducks dropped their intensity and let the visitors back into the game. A ball played into Daniel Bond on the edge of the box was laid off to Joe Leslie, who saw his shot from 20 yards go narrowly wide of the target. In the 33rd minute a free kick conceded by Jordan Jenkins 25 yards out resulted saw Ryan Inskip fire a powerful shot on goal, but straight into the midriff of Jack Hopwood. Two minutes later, a ball was played down the right to Inskip, who beat Hercules and played the ball to Bond, whose shot was well blocked by Hopwood rushing out from his goal.

The visitors’ resurgence saw them equalise in the 37th minute. A free kick on the right was swung in by Adam Hunt towards the near post, where Daniel Newton beat Jack Wood to the ball to power a header past Hopwood. 1-1

The main talking point of the match came in the 41st minute, as Dave O’Connor bravely put his body on the line ducking down to win a challenge with Michael Fisher near the centre circle. The centre back lay motionless on the ground following the clash, with referee Andy Bennett quickly calling on the physio. There followed a break in play of 17 minutes while O’Connor was treated for what appeared to be a head and neck injury, eventually being carried off on a stretcher. Thanks must be given to both our own physio, Luke and the opposition’s physio, Amy Radford who ensured that Dave was given the careful treatment needed to stabilise his injuries.

After the prolonged (and necessary) break, there was still time for the Ducks to threaten. French again directed play from the middle of the park, picking out Deacon on the edge of the penalty area; his first-time touch laid the ball off first time to Hercules, whose shot was well blocked, resulting in a corner. Bewley took the corner short, and collected a return pass from Ball, before advancing on goal and firing a shot into the side netting. and cleared. The last action of a half which lasted 65 minutes saw Hercules embark on a weaving run from the left flank and fire a shot narrowly over the crossbar.

Half-time: Aylesbury 1-1 Biggleswade

With O’Connor being treated in the changing room awaiting the arrival of an ambulance, the Ducks team spent the half time break in the Boardroom, followed by a team talk on the pitch before the start of the second period. If that change to routine affected the team, it didn’t show, as they were back on the attack straight away.

Four minutes into the second period a quick throw from Bewley found Hercules who beat two players and crossed to Lewis Osbourne whose header fell to Ball; unfortunately his left foot attempt on goal was lacking power and direction.

In the 56th minute the pressure told; Good work by Harry Jones, on as a substitute for O’Connor, played a one-two with Deacon, before sliding the ball through to French, who finished well from 12 yards. 2-1 Aylesbury

Two minutes later, Ball robbed the ball from left back Marsh, before passing to Deacon, whose shot was well saved by Josephs. Ball was next to chance his arm, after Osbourne won the ball in midfield he passed to his team mate who spotted Josephs off his line and tried a speculative lob from 40 yards which just cleared the crossbar.

Following this, the game entered something of a lull, with neither team really threatening the goal. The visitors introduced striker Scott Joseph from the bench on the hour mark and it was he who had the next opportunity to score. Receiving the ball wide on the left, he cut inside Jones from the left and fired a shot which whistled past Hopwood’s far post.

Just five minutes after receiving a yellow card for a foul, Ball could count himself somewhat fortunate to avoid a second and a subsequent red card; after receiving his yellow card in the 73rd minute for a foul, he was again involved in an incident with visiting skipper Tom Coles following another foul in the centre of the pitch. Coles chose to provoke a reaction from the young Ducks player by engaging in a spell of pushing and verbals, but referee Andy Bennett sensibly defused the situation and issued a warning to both players.

Joseph had another opportunity as the game drifted towards its end. A long diagonal pass from Hunt found him on the left, but as with his previous chance, he cut inside and fired a shot across goal, instead of troubling Hopwood. Three minutes from the end a ball from Hunt found substitute Lee Northfield 25 yards from goal. He turned and fired a shot goal wards, but it was always rising and cleared the crossbar.

That was the last action of the game, one in which 3 points were most welcome; however, most people left the ground hoping for good news of O’Connor’s injury, which thankfully was received during the evening, with the defender given the all clear after tests at Stoke Mandeville hospital. The next game will most likely come too soon for the big defender as he recovers from his injury, but it’s Didcot Town who are visiting The Meadow on Wednesday in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup.