Aylesbury produced another solid display to win their fourth successive match, and progress to the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup with victory over Almondsbury Town.
Despite a defensive reshuffle in the absence of the Carl Kavanagh (suspended) and Ross Taylor (unavailable), the Ducks kept a third clean sheet in a row and generally made their superior status count throughout the game.
One of the beneficiaries of the two missing players was Danny Mead, who was handed his first start since rejoining the club, and his sixth minute cross was met by Glen Hawkins who headed the game's first chance onto the roof of the net.
Despite this, it was Almondsbury who started the match on top as they took the game to their hosts with some nice football being played. On nine minutes John Lock wasted a free-kick, smashing a rising effort well over the bar.
Ten minutes later they had a great chance when some slick interplay ended with the ball slipped in to Richard Kear, but his shot across goal was straight at Tom Vincent.
Vincent was called upon again soon after when a dangerous inswinging free-kick from Danny Haines had to be watched carefully as it evaded all inside the penalty area.
Hawkins snatched a shot wide on the volley after the ball came unexpectedly to him inside the area, then four minutes later Liam Smyth, who was impressive all afternoon, curled an effort just past the post as Aylesbury began to take control of proceedings.
On thirty-four minutes United made their increasing authority pay off by taking the lead. A delightful ball put Henney through and he waited for the right moment to square for Hawkins to tap home from five yards out. 1-0 Aylesbury
Events slowed somewhat following the goal, the only remaining action before the break a bicycle kick from Henney after the ball had looped up into his path, but Ben John wasn't threatened.
Half-time: Aylesbury 1-0 Almondsbury
Aylesbury were firmly in charge after the break, as they controlled the midfield particularly well, and left any neutrals in no doubt as to whom the higher ranking of the sides was.
Early in the half Haines escaped strong calls for a dismissal after he was beaten for pace by Henney before upending the striker on his way to goal, the resulting free-kick struck by Maynard but comfortably held by John.
On the hour mark Hawkins headed over the bar after Maynard had been played in, and was given plenty of time to measure a cross.
Both sides then escaped penalty appeals, Tom Vincent seeming to grab hold of his man having, on the one and only occasion, not managed to hold onto a high ball. Immediately at the other end Jacob Guy bundled Henney to the ground in the box, both claims waved away by Mr Field.
Aylesbury went close again through the in-form Hawkins, who couldn't quite turn the ball into the net after Smyth's ball in had initially been missed by the stooping Henney.
Almondsbury served a timely reminder that they weren't yet dead and buried as first Kris Davis hit a fierce effort which was blocked out for a corner, and from the set play Lock should have done better when he rose highest but could only head over.
Guy escaped another penalty appeal on 78 minutes, and despite being held inside the area Hawkins still managed to pull the ball back to Mark Jones, but with the whole goal to aim at he shot badly over.
In the last ten minutes the visitors had another let off by the referee, substitute Nathan Graham not the first player to use his pace to get the better of Haines, before being brought down and seeing nothing given.
Five minutes from the end an otherwise comfortable Aylesbury had a huge scare when Paul Fowler produced a shot out of nothing, a 25-yard half-volley which smashed against the crossbar with Vincent beaten all ends up.
It was to be as close as the plucky Bristol-based visitors were to come, and United retained the ball effectively in the closing seconds, Almondsbury collecting a number of frustration-born bookings before the final whistle sounded.
