The first meeting between Aylesbury and Sutton in an Isthmian League clash was certainly not one to be forgotten. Aylesbury had started their campaign poorly and only four teams sat between them and the foot of the Premier Division table. Sutton on the other hand, having barely recovered from the shock of being relegated from the Conference were fourth, just four points behind Woking.
The gulf in league positions did not show as the Ducks took the game by the scruff of the neck early on. ?New Boy' Kevin Davies who'd just signed for a second spell from Marlow made an impressive debut setting up two goals in the opening quarter of an hour.
He headed Andy Wright's corner into the path of Cliff Hercules for the first and set Darren Collins clear for the second. The former Northampton Town striker ran through and clipped the ball over an advancing Gary McCann to double his side's lead.
The Surrey side pulled a goal back after twenty two minutes when Simon Mason tried an adventurous chipped backpass. On loan keeper Paul Bastock could only push his defender's ball onto the bar and Steve Beeks netted.
The Green's two goal cushion was restored two minutes later though when Paul Rogers fouled Cliff Hercules and fireman Andy Wright slotted home the resulting penalty. And the game should have been beyond doubt before the break when Aylesbury squandered a host of chances.
Eight minutes into the second period Darren Collins grabbed his second to increase the scoreline to 4-1, when again he broke free and shot past McCann.
But Sutton took a gamble, which ultimately paid off, throwing men forward with gay abandon. Paul Rogers started the comeback on the hour with a close range effort before Nigel Golley's far post header set up a tense climax.
The equaliser almost inevitably came in injury time. Beeks put Stuart Massey in behind a static home defence and his cross was turned home at the back stick by substitute Zak Newman.
There was barely time to restart before the final whistle blew and the visiting fans went home happier than their green-clad counterparts having secured an unlikely looking point from this thrilling encounter.
