Ten days after the disappointing FA Cup loss at home to Margate, the Ducks returned to action in the 1st Qualifying round of the FA Trophy, against Evesham United. The game, delayed from the weekend due to the sad loss of Her Majesty The Queen, was preceded by a moving tribute to the departed Monarch, which was respectfully observed.

The Ducks started well, a long diagonal from Dave O’Connor found Alfie Anderson coming in off the left wing to collect the ball ahead of Luca Smith and fire in a powerful shot from 18 yards, but it was straight at visiting keeper Fraser Barnsley, who was able to parry it away. The danger wasn’t over though as the ball was recycled to Ben Seaton 25 yards over, but his shot cleared the crossbar. Despite the early chance, the visitors began to take control of the opening exchanges, passing the ball quickly and moving well off the ball. In the 13th minute a free kick just outside the area by Adam Mace was well saved by Matt Clifford, keeping goal in place of the suspended Archie Davis. Mace took the resulting corner and found Chris Knowles on the edge of the penalty area; he neatly sidestepped David Aluko-Olukun, but the strikers challenge was clumsy, bring down his man at the expense of a penalty. Up stepped Kyle Belmonte to bury the spot kick to give his team the lead. 1-0 Evesham

Shortly afterwards, the visitors had a great opportunity to double the lead; Anthony Ball was caught in possession outside the edge of the penalty area by Ben Whitehead, who advanced and shot from 20 yards, but his effort was bravely blocked at the expense of a corner. On the half hour, Anderson did well on the left to get a cross in, which was headed out by Charlie Wise to Nasha Mukwada; his shot was well directed but lacked the power to really trouble Barnsley, who saved comfortably. Anderson almost drew the Ducks level in the 35th minute, after Ben Seaton was fouled 30 yards from goal, the winger stepped up and fired a powerful shot goalwards, only to see it clip the bar and fly over. Despite working hard to get back into the game, the Ducks fell further behind 4 minutes from half time. The ball was won well in midfield and played forward to Alfie Dunn, who turned and shot from 20 yards, finding the top right-hand corner of Clifford’s goal, the keeper having no chance to keep the ball out. 2-0 Evesham

Half-time: Aylesbury 0-2 Evesham

The second half started with the Ducks working hard to get back into the game. On 65 minutes, a passing move which started with Ball finding Aluko-Olukun in midfield, who in turn spread the play wide to Mukwada on the right. His cross found Aluko-Olukun, who stretched to reach the ball but was unlucky to see his shot from 10 yards strike the foot of the far post and rebound away to safety. With 9 minutes left on the clock, more good work on the right, this time involving Harry Jones and Mukwada exchanging passes, before Jones’ low cross just evaded the sliding O’Connor arriving at the far post. However, despite pressing for a goal, the Ducks conceded a killer third 6 minutes from time. A cross from the right from substitute Owen James saw O’Connor challenge Brennan Denness-Barrett 15 yards out; the defender looked to have won the ball, but referee Joe Woolmer was well placed to judge a foul had been committed and pointe to the spot for a second time in the match. This time Whitehead stepped up and sent Clifford the wrong way. 3-0 Evesham

The final chance fell to the visitors as the clock ticked past 90 minutes; Ball was robbed of the ball on the halfway line by James, who set off for goal unopposed, but Ball got back well to pressurise him with his shot going wide of the target. Another disappointing cup exit for the Ducks, who worked hard, but were unable to convert the chances that would maybe have put more pressure on the visitors; losing by three goals feels a bit harsh, especially when two goals were penalties and the other a worldie, but on balance Evesham probably deserved their win. The Ducks regroup and focus on picking up points in the League, starting with a trip to Welwyn Garden City on Saturday.