After a very comfortable and comprehensive win against Brimscombe & Thrupp in the last round of the FA Cup, today saw Aylesbury United play Southern League Southern division Willand Rovers, the first ever meeting between the two teams. Buoyed by an impressive Bank Holiday victory at Thame United, Ben Williams chose to keep an unchanged starting XI, but welcomed Ezra Anthonio-Forde, Dave O’Connor, Jake Bewley and James Weatherill back to the matchday squad.

With the visitors having a long journey up from Devon, with a later than ideal arrival, the Ducks stared quickly, aiming to take advantage of the rushed preparation. After just 90 seconds, Max Hercules beat Josh Searle on the left wing and crossed to Lee Stobbs at the far post; his volley from 6 yards was blocked at point blank range by Ryan Guppy, but at the expense of a corner. Hercules took the set piece and found Jack Wood unmarked at the far post, with the skipper side footing a left foot shot across the keeper and in off the far post to open the scoring. 1-0 Aylesbury

Four minutes later, Sonny French crossed from the left to Ty Deacon 6 yards out, but his shot was well saved by George Burton rebounding off the cross bar and out for a corner.

The visitors had an opportunity to get back into the game just a minute later; a misjudged tackle by Harry Jones on Noah Coppin saw the striker through on goal, but he dragged his shot wide of goal, not troubling Archie Davis.

It was end to end at this stage, next Stobbs outpaced Will Richards and crossed into the penalty area. The ball was headed out to Jamie Jellis, who wrong footed two defenders but saw his shot from 20 yards clear the cross bar.

The Ducks dominated play for the first 30 minutes of the game, but unlike previous matches, were unable less than clinical with their finishing. Reassured by this, the visitors were becoming more of a threat. Jamie Jellis was penalised for a tackle 25 yards out in a central position, which saw Alfie Mouldon step up to strike the free kick, but his effort rebounded off the wall back to him, with his second goal bound effort from 20 yards was blocked and cleared.

The Ducks suffered a major blow with 4 minutes to go until half time. Anthony Ball tackled his player on the right flank, but landed awkwardly with the opposition player appearing to land on his ankle. Ball was unable to continue, to be replaced by Jake Bewley, available for the first time after a 3-match suspension.

The visitor’s improved play was rewarded on the stroke of half time. A free kick conceded on the left was crossed into the box. Wood’s headed clearance fell to Mani Skett who volleyed home from 12 yards across Davis and in off the far post. 1-1

There was still time for one more Ducks' attack; Hercules won the ball midway in the Willand half and threaded it through to Deacon, but again his powerful shot from 15 yards was too close to the keeper, who made a comfortable save.

Half-time: Aylesbury 1-1 Willand

The visitors were sent out early for the second half, no doubt hoping not to be caught cold as they had been at the start of the game. However, the Ducks started well again, just two minutes in and Deacon held the ball up well and fed Jellis, but the youngster miscued his left foot shot wide from 15 yards.

After 50 minutes Skett outpaced Hercules down the right and fired in a powerful shot from just inside the penalty area, stinging the palms of Davis, who was happy to claim the ball at the second attempt.

Ben Williams chose to make his second substitution after 55 minutes, with Ezra Anthonio-Forde replacing Stobbs on the left side of the attack, with Hercules switching to the right.

On the hour, a deep cross by Bewley saw Jellis pushed in the back inside the penalty area, with the referee awarding a penalty. After seeing Hercules miss his effort last week against Barton Rovers, Jellis took responsibility himself and fired it to the keeper’s right, giving the Ducks the lead. 2-1 Aylesbury

To their credit, the visitors continued to battle, determined to get back into the game. On 70 minutes a corner taken by Mouldon rebounded around the penalty area, with no one in green able to make a clearance; it fell to Skett, but his shot from 18 yards was gratefully claimed by Davis.

The Ducks almost found a third immediately afterwards; Bewley found Anthonio-Forde on the left of the penalty are, who laid the ball into the path of Ollie Hogg 25 yards from goal, but his shot was narrowly wide of Burton’s left-hand post.

The breathing space that the home crowd was hoping for came in the 79th minute; substitute Ben Seaton, just on the field in place of Sonny French, hit a fine cross field pass to Hercules on the right flank. He drove to the bye line before firing a ball into the 6-yard box which Deacon touched on to the onrushing Anthonio-Forde to tap in from 5 yards. 3-1 Aylesbury

As the match approached 90 minutes, Deacon had another great opportunity; Seaton slid the ball past Guppy, putting Deacon free on goal, but his shot from 20 yards was well saved by Burton.

The icing on the cake was applied with 5 minutes of added time on the clock. Antonio-Forde picked the ball up from a Bewley pass just inside the attacking half and made strides towards the penalty area, where he fired in a swerving shot into the top corner out of reach of Burton. 4-1 Aylesbury

That was to be the end of the action, seeing the Ducks through with a victory that on paper appears more comfortable than it actually was. The visitors fought well and made it a ‘proper’ cup tie and it was only in the last 10 minutes when the home fans could breathe easily. Sights are now set on the draw for the 2nd qualifying round on Monday, with the tie taking place on the weekend of 18th September.

Ahead of that though is a tough League match next Saturday at home to in-form North Leigh, who went top of the Central Division yesterday after beating Wantage, their fourth win out of 5 matches in an unbeaten start to their league campaign this season.