Aylesbury returned to form with a much needed win in some style as they recorded a 5-1 home thrashing of Kingsbury London Tigers.
Braces from Lea Coulter and Jimi Emefuna along with a Joey Acheampong strike set United on their way. For the second time of the season though, the five-goal tally was reached despite playing a considerable period with ten-men following the dismissal of Jack Sillitoe for ?handling? outside his area.
?New? signing from Slough Town Rob Kean started in midfield whilst Will Smith was also drafted back into the team.
The Greens made a couple of early half chances with an Edgeworth free kick going straight to keeper Valentin Axinte before Kean?s cross was headed wide at the far post by Mulholland following a quick corner kick routine.
It was the visitors who had the first clear openings though and Artiomas Barinovas curled a left footed shot wide of the target as Aylesbury failed to clear their lines after eleven minutes.
Kingsbury were proving to be a curious mixture of continental flavours, but sadly seemed more intent on hurling themselves to the floor and whinging to the referee at every given opportunity, with centre-backs Neriyus and Biecius particularly culpable though it seemed a culture rife throughout the whole team.
When they actually got the ball down and played it, the Tigers showed they had talent. Two minutes later and the tricky Paulius Olisauskus ? by far the visitors? biggest threat ? was released by a fantastic crossfield pass and lobbed the onrushing Sillitoe but placed the ball wide of goal.
Axinte was called into proper action for the first time by Ben Baines who met Kean?s corner but he couldn?t generate the required power from his header and Axinte was able to stop low on his line.
The match wasn?t flowing particularly well with numerous stoppages and it took a long time before Craig Townsend blazed a volley out of the ground in the Ducks? next effort.
Aylesbury?s patience and refusal to get frustrated with their opponents? antics eventually paid off though, as Lea Coulter gave them a 30th minute lead. After a bout of head tennis, Baines applied a decisive flicked header and Coulter was on hand to produce a great composed finish which left Axinte rooted to the spot. 1-0 Aylesbury
Sadly, the Ducks then went on to gift their hosts a lifeline just five minutes later. A free-kick into the box caught Sillitoe indecisive and with the keeper in no man?s land the ball was headed back across goal and then into the net easily by Dossou Alassane. 1-1
Aylesbury came again and were soon looking to re-establish their lead before the break. Coulter?s flicked header nearly came off Acheampong and went into the net with the keeper grounded, but went just wide.
Then another great Kean delivery was met by Edgeworth but he couldn?t get over the ball and headed well over the bar.
A minute from the break and United were back in front, Coulter again the man on target as he sweetly half-volleyed into the net leaving Axinte no chance once again. 2-1 Aylesbury
Half-time: Aylesbury 2-1 Kingsbury London Tigers
The half-time lead was just about deserved for the Ducks who had been on top without ever seeming to have got out of second gear.
A slow start to the second period might have been punished by a better side on the day as the Tigers had a couple of attempts in the opening minutes as Olisauskus crashed a shot over when presented a clear sight of goal.
Olisauskus then turned provider with a neat ball inside to Alassane who turned and went for goal, but fired wide.
If there had been any doubt, then the result was put beyond Kingsbury on the hour mark when Joey Acheampong rounded off his good week with another goal when he raced free of the defence then shot from a tight angle, with the ball seeming to go through Axinte and into the net. 3-1 Aylesbury
With the game safe, Aylesbury fans could have been forgiven for looking forward to a calm and uneventful ending to the match.
Far from it, as another dramatic twist was to follow as Tigers sprung the offside trap and as Sillitoe came racing from his line he looked to have made a good sliding challenge on the forward but was unlucky as the ball span up and struck his outstretched hand. Referee Mr Williams was left no choice but to dismiss the Aylesbury custodian and United were left facing the remaining 25-minutes with ten men and no recognised goalkeeper as Craig Townsend donned the gloves.
The resulting free kick from the original incident was wasted by Bettamer who smashed well wide, but Townsend was to prove himself an able deputy as he showed great handling to dive full stretch and claim Adil Salih?s bottom corner-bound drive.
Aylesbury replaced their tiring legs in the closing stages, and it paid dividends as with Kingsbury pushing forward Jimi Emefuna took full advantage to claim two late goals.
His first saw him played into the box in the inside-left position, bring the ball forward and produce a deft finish past Axinte which nestled just inside the far post. 4-1 Aylesbury
For an encore he burst free onto a defensive challenge, managed to turn Biecius inside out before picking his spot and rolling the ball past Axinte, with Baines waiting square and desperately hoping for an unlikely pass. 5-1 Aylesbury
In between the goals Townsend kept up his good work, tipping a shot wide to keep the Tigers at bay, but full time soon followed on a good afternoon?s work for the Ducks.
