Aylesbury took on struggling Berkhamsted at Bell Close without their suspended talisman Richard Pringle, but it was his replacement Luke Melisi who seized his opportunity with a man of the match performance and the opening goal.

As in the first meeting between the sides two weeks earlier, United didn't take long to get into their opponents, with chances plentiful in the first half particularly. Indeed, the margin of Aylesbury's first half lead should have been greater than the two goals they eventually scored.

A third minute corner kick was nearly scrambled in, before Enzo Silvestri's shot was deflected wide. Nando Perna then curled a 25-yard free-kick narrowly past the post after Kevin Mealor had been fouled.

Melisi had his first chance after five minutes, nipping in ahead of Matt Davis onto a poor back header, but having beaten the keeper he miskicked and the ball trickled away. Silvestri had another effort from a corner kick blocked on the line a minute later, before a Mealor free-kick was nodded wide by Leon Gutzmore.

The relentless pressure continued, this time Daniel Mead went close after Liam Smyth fed the ball out to him, Mead firing a driven effort which was straight at Davis.

United finally made a breakthrough after 25 minutes, following a good move. Gutzmore touched down a cross to Melisi, whose shot was deflected back out to the left flank. Mealor returned the ball, headed down again by Gutzmore for the waiting Melisi, whose shot went in off the keeper. 1-0 Aylesbury

Melisi had another chance to score moments later, but he cracked a shot over the bar after a corner kick came all the way across to him at the back post.

In an effort to prove there were two teams on the pitch, Berkhamsted then had their first chance of the game. A long punt downfield caused confusion for Aylesbury, and ex-Duck Lewis Pritchard ran through but couldn't get a clean contact and the ball skewed wide.

The lead was doubled ten minutes before the break, Silvestri timing his run brilliantly to connect with Smyth's right wing cross and nod home, to celebrate his 50th start for the club with a goal. 2-0 Aylesbury

At the other end Ben Butler attempted a half-volley from 20-yards, which he only succeeded in lashing wildly out of the stadium.

In the closing stages of the first half Melisi missed an absolute sitter, Mead's driven low cross-shot fell at the feet of Gutzmore, his shot was saved and rebounded to Melisi four-yards from an empty goal, but the striker somehow crashed his shot against the post.

Half-time: Aylesbury 2-0 Berkhamsted

To say the match was less eventful after the restart would be an understatement, but the Ducks kept plugging away against a Berkhamsted side who had very little to offer.

Mealor went close inside the opening ten minutes of the half, flicking a shot just wide of the post.

Aylesbury weren't creating the same level of clear-cut opportunities in the second half, a Smyth free-kick was headed back across goal by Mealor, but Silvestri just couldn't stretch enough to turn the ball in. Melisi took the ball down well three minutes later, but fired wide.

On 65 minutes Roni Joe made his first appearance in over 6 weeks when he replaced Leon Gutzmore up front, who had taken a knock earlier in the game.

There was something of a Roni Renaissance about his cameo appearance, as he gave the Ducks a new threat with his skill on the ball at times a throwback to the player of yesteryear.

But the game was drifting by slowly, Silvestri went close with ten minutes remaining after Nathan Liburd had got forward to lay the ball back to him.

Melisi could have doubled his tally when he was played clean through in the last five minutes, but despite having two bites at the cherry he couldn't find the net. Davis made a good save to keep the first out, before the rebound was hit with such power it bounced off the goalkeeper and crashed against the crossbar.

The end was soon brought to a good victory for United, who were professional in their manner throughout, but with a touch more composure in front of goal could have been celebrating a far more impressive win.