For the second time in three days Aylesbury had to settle for a point despite having engineered themselves a winning position in a match, letting their lead slip to a late equaliser.
From the outset it was easy to see that this was a relegation dogfight, as the two teams battled out a competitive match which was short on quality but still produced its fair share of talking points.
United made a decent start, with the midfield pairing of Silvestri and Newby on top for the opening twenty minutes or so, although it was Barton who threatened first when Callum Donnelly was played in and he should have done better than lofting the ball over the bar.
At the other end Aylesbury's first attempt soon arrived when Silvestri picked up the loose ball just outside the box and fired back a half-volley which went just past the post with Grant Beckwith at full stretch.
Barton's programme promised a ?response' from the players after their 8-2 midweek humbling at Bury Town, but that response was slow in coming as the home side took time to warm into the game.
Their first sustained spell of pressure proved there was a definite threat from the hosts, and on 18 minutes a header from Bull was straight at Sillitoe, although he was ruled offside anyway. Mason then had an effort turned wide at the near post a minute later.
Aylesbury had a half chance through an Ayodele overhead kick which was blocked in the area after Newby had delivered a corner kick, before Beckwith nearly gifted the Ducks the lead when he badly misjudged an attempted punch of Jamie O'Grady's whipped cross ? the ball spinning goalwards but Paul Andrews was just in time to clear the ball behind.
On the half hour mark the Blues were given a great chance to take the lead themselves. A ball in down the left had Sillitoe committed and he conceded a penalty by upending the opposing striker, but redeemed himself with a fine save down to his left to keep out Ricky Case's spot kick.
Barton's wastefulness in front of goal was to be a recurring theme for the half's remainder as first Andrews headed over when all alone at a free-kick, then Russell Bull somehow headed wide from virtually underneath the bar with the goal gaping after Mason's shot had spooned up from Sillitoe's block.
The Ducks also had chances though, with Miah calling Beckwith into a good plunging save to deny him after Taylor had flicked a deep free-kick into his path.
Two minutes before the break Silvestri was fouled ten-yards outside the area, and from the free-kick Keith Newby struck a sweet effort which shouted ?goal' as soon as it was taken, but to his and Aylesbury's disappointment the ball hit the upright full on and bounced away.
Half-time: Barton 0-0 Aylesbury
The start of the second half saw Aylesbury try to take the game to Barton, but within five minutes it was the home side back on the offensive. The lively Mason beat his marker before cutting the ball back to Sam Spencer but his finish was wayward.
Bull then had an effort having spun his man in the box, but could only hammer his shot all the way across goal and eventually out for a throw-in.
It was looking increasingly like the result would be decided by a set piece, and for the home side Lee Wilson's deliveries were becoming ever more threatening. One such viciously inswinging free-kick had to be headed over the bar by Ansell in a great piece of defending.
Sillitoe was called into action midway through the half to keep out a strong header from Mason after a deep cross had found its man in the box.
Up to that point Aylesbury had only had half chances to feed on, but that changed when from a dangerous corner kick Silvestri fired for goal amongst the scramble only to see his shot cleared off the line.
To the delight of their travelling fans, United looked like they'd nicked a win when they opened the scoring on 73 minutes. Nash's inswinging corner had Beckwith under pressure, and not for the first time he crumbled, spilling the ball to the back post where Bull calamitously could only fire it into his own net. Although it looked like an own goal to all present, it has since been credited to Tyrone Taylor who was also lurking. 1-0 Aylesbury
Unfortunately, Aylesbury haven't yet mastered the art of preserving their lead, and the closing stages of the game were becoming increasingly nervy for the away side.
As Lee Wilson ? dubbed ?Magic Left Foot' in the team announcements ? stepped up to take a free-kick hearts were in mouths, but he could only curl the ball narrowly wide.
There was some respite and United maybe should have doubled their lead when Beckwith yet again lost the ball from a corner-kick, before a combination of Taylor and recovering defender managed to turn the ball over the bar.
Had that gone in it would have been curtains for Barton, but instead they took full advantage of one lax moment to grab an equaliser. Taylor needlessly gave the ball away by dwelling too long on it, and the home side attacked with pace down the left, Bull making his way into the box and placing the ball beyond Sillitoe. 1-1
It could have got even worse for the Ducks as Silvestri scrambled a corner kick off the line at the death, but it was an evenly matched game and a draw was the right result in the end ? although it's not the result either side wanted to help define their season.
