After the disappointment of their late collapse at Malvern the previous Saturday, Aylesbury bounced back by seeing off Spalding United 3-1 at Bell Close.
United started in earnest, opening the scoring with just ten minutes on the clock. After his first ball in was cleared, Liam Smyth delivered for the second time ? and Richard Pringle was in the right place to guide the ball past goalkeeper James Lambley, who got a hand to the ball but couldn't keep it out. 1-0 Aylesbury
It was the perfect start for Aylesbury, but Spalding weren?t about to lie down, and they threatened two minutes later when Ben Garrick broke free but fired in a weak shot which was easily gathered by Tom Vincent.
Three minutes later the Tulips did equalise, as Aylesbury failed to clear their lines Garrick was on hand to fire in from 5-yards. 1-1
Aylesbury looked to quickly get back on top, and Daniel Mead saw a 20-yard free-kick excellently tipped over by Lambley, before the resulting corner was hooked just wide by Matt Butler as the ball dropped to him.
A good move saw captain Enzo Silvestri fire well wide after Pringle?s flick-on was played into his path by Gutzmore.
The first of several meaningful free-kick deliveries by Smyth on 25 minutes was powered over by the head of Kevin Mealor, when he might have done better.
A minute later the ball was intercepted by the excellent Silvestri, who slipped a pass into the path of Pringle who saw his fierce near-post shot beaten away by Lambley.
A minute before the interval the lead was re-established in the Green?s favour. Another delivery from Smyth was met by Pringle who climbed the highest, his looping header nestling in the bottom corner. 2-1 Aylesbury
Silvestri found his way into the referee?s notebook before the half-time break ensued.
Half-time: Aylesbury 2-1 Spalding
Both sides had to make enforced defensive substitutions within five minutes of the restart, Nick Leach for Aylesbury and Daniel George for Spalding the unlucky parties, replaced by Carl Kavanagh and Luke Forbes respectively.
The second half was less eventful, the visitors rarely threatening, although one such foray saw the dangerous Danny Hargreaves cut in from his left sided position and fire wide of the target.
The game was wrapped up by Aylesbury on 55 minutes, Pringle claiming his hat-trick by getting the final touch on Smyth?s free-kick to guide the ball into the net. 3-1 Aylesbury
With well over half an hour remaining it looked at one stage as though the Tulips might wilt under the strain and capitulate, as the Ducks carved them apart with ease. Gutzmore weaved his way into the area but saw his shot blocked, before Marc Leach headed a corner kick over the bar.
Pringle soon went close to a fourth, as he headed another corner over the bar without even needing to jump.
Marc Leach gave an example of his free-kick ?specialist? tag on 68 minutes, requiring Lambley to tip the ball over the bar once again for another Aylesbury corner.
Spalding made their task even harder with twenty minutes remaining when experienced defender, and assistant manager, Mark Hone was shown a second yellow card, presumably for dissent, but by that point the game was well over as a contest.
Leach went close again, this time grazing the crossbar with a fierce driven effort after a corner-kick dropped to him inside the area.
In the last ten minutes Spalding came as close to goal as they had since scoring, Vincent losing the ball at a corner kick and having Mead to thank for being in the right place to clear the ball off the line.
Aylesbury nearly rounded off the game with a superb flowing move, Silvestri finding Mead on the left who flighted in a cross which was headed towards goal by Pringle but well gathered by Lambley.
All that followed in the remaining five minutes were two incidents of handbags in which four players were booked, as Spalding struggled to keep their frustrations under control, and Aylesbury rounded off a good win.
