United maintained their 100% start to their league campaign with a hard fought but deserved victory over a strong Oxford City side whose number included a former England international.
Aylesbury started the match with the same side which had won the opening fixture against Marlborough and held their own early on as chances were few and far between.
This changed on twenty minutes when an innocuous looking clearance fell to United striker Twinkle Dean just outside the box. The former Wycombe player nonchalantly crashed a lobbed effort back at goal which sailed over the hapless keeper and under the crossbar.
This signalled a real purple period in Aylesbury's play as the Greens passing smoothly clicked into place and they created a trio of chances in quick succession. A flowing move saw Dean head Sue Wynes' cross into the path of Kay Norton only for the diminutive striker's effort to screw just wide of the post. Captain Sarah Gerrard then set up top scorer Wynes but the keeper was equal to the effort before Laura Warmbier and Wynes combined to set up Dean, who again was thwarted by the keeper.
Oxford then stunned United with a couple of goals against the run of play.
The Ducks looked to hit back immediately though and Lucy Ilic crashed a free kick into the net only for the referee to rule that he wasn't ready. Frustratingly the retaken kick crashed into the wall and away to safety.
The equaliser wasn't long in coming as Gemma Butterfield's through ball found Kay Norton and the Aylesbury forward made no mistake blasting the ball home from close range.
Before the break Oxford again found themselves ahead as United failed to react to a quickly taken free kick but the scores were even again by the interval as Sue Wynes threaded her way through the defence and slid the ball past the onrushing keeper.
The second half was a much tighter affair with few real chances until the final ten minutes.
Substitute Trina Freeman, set up by the excellent Bethan Harris, had her lob well saved before the breakthrough finally came with six minutes remaining. Kay Norton was left in too much space and rifled home the winner to the joy of the vocal Aylesbury contingent on the touchline.
Player of the match Suzie Cole almost added a fifth after being played through by Harris and another of the substitutes Beanie Cameron was so convinced she'd scored that, following her biting long range shot, she sank to the floor and pointed to the sky in celebration before one of her team mates pointed out that the ball had squirmed out of the keeper's hands and fallen the wrong side of the post!
An excellent win for United sees them take an early season lead in the Thames Valley League Division Two and puts them in good spirits for their FA Cup encounter with Southern League Maidenhead next week.
Aylesbury United Ladies would very much like to thank the Dairy Maid pub for allowing them to use their excellent facilities and providing food after matches this season. The team were without a base for most of last year and this kind gesture is very much appreciated.
