Aylesbury returned from their ten-day non-playing break to eventually post a comfortable 3-0 win against Kidlington, but made hard work of it against their lowly opponents.
Having scored early the Ducks went on to miss a hatful of chances as their visitors grew into the game and threatened an equaliser. It wasn’t until the 71st minute that Jake Bewley finally put the result beyond doubt, before Gavin James marked his home debut with a worldie to add further gloss to the scoreline.
When the sides met at Yarnton Road in August, the Ducks scored after just 15 seconds and though they weren’t to repeat that achievement, Max Hercules almost opened the scoring after two minutes when a corner kick was half cleared to him but his shot was charged down.
Kiddy did threaten from a corner of their own shortly afterwards which headed goalwards by Brad Cox, but Harry Jones was well stationed on the line to head clear.
Flag kicks were proving productive for both sides, and when another was eventually worked back across the face of goal in the 9th minute Mark Riddick forced a fine save from close range by Harry Way.
The resulting corner saw Aylesbury edge in front when Bewley’s inswinger was missed by all the defence before finding Ben Seaton all of two yards out who was able to divert the ball in for a very rare headed goal. 1-0 Aylesbury
Following Ty Deacon’s departure to AFC Rushden & Diamonds, United’s attack had a new focal point in newly signed Deji Owoeye on-loan from Harrow Borough, and the new man had a glorious chance for a debut goal on 16 minutes when he looked offside as he raced clean through but saw Way come out on top of the one-on-one.
Three minutes later and he was in again when the last defender was unable to cut out another through ball, allowing Owoeye a clear run at goal but this time he lobbed the ball over Way, but over the goal as well as it bounced onto the roof of the net.
He then made it a quick hat-trick of getting in behind the defence, and this time teed up Ollie Hogg instead who sent a shot sailing over the bar as the chances kept coming.
A couple of Max Hercules sighters didn’t trouble Way in goal, but Kidlington grew in belief as the half wore on with Billy Gillett proving a menace and having a couple of efforts of his own – one straight at Archie Davis, the other missing the target.
It was the Ducks who had the last big chance of the half though, when a raking Ben Seaton pass just evaded Sonny French but found Owoeye, but this was probably his most difficult opportunity with the ball sitting up awkwardly and he could only volley wide.
Half-time: Aylesbury 1-0 Kidlington
Kidlington made a strong start to the second period and in an almost carbon-copy of Owoeye’s earlier, a suspiciously offside looking Steve Robertson burst through the defence only for Davis to come off his line and make a good save in the one-on-one.
Another opening for Owoeye saw him on the end of a miss-hit Hercules shot which looped up into his path but was prodded wide of the target.
Two minutes later a ball into Ollie Hogg saw him with time to turn and go for goal but it was an easy claim for Way, and still the Ducks had no room to relax. Kiddy came again with Gillett firing over and then bending another shot over the bar.
Owoeye continued to be in the thick of things and when he’d done the hard work of bamboozling the visiting defence surely had to score this time, but somehow his shot trickled wide as he got his angles wrong from six-yards.
Having watched the procession of chances unfold before him, Jake Bewley went on a charging run upfield and - when a peach of a cross came in from substitute Lee Stobbs – found himself in the centre forward position to meet it with a flying header into the net. 2-0 Aylesbury
Even with the game now seemingly safe, Archie Davis had to make the best save of the night with eight minutes remaining when he stuck out an arm to save a shot at point blank range.
Sonny French then went close to extending United’s lead when a half-cleared corner was returned with a viciously swerving shot that just cleared the bar.
Instead, it was substitute Gavin James who did add the third when he picked up the ball well outside the box before unleashing a stunning strike into the top corner that gave the keeper no chance. 3-0 Aylesbury
A good night’s work for the Ducks overall, even though they made hard work of what should have been a more comfortable evening. Aylesbury face more Oxfordshire opponents when they travel to Didcot Town next, before another enforced ten-day break due to other teams’ FA Trophy commitments.
