A wretched evening in Hertfordshire brought an end to Aylesbury’s unbeaten month of March as they were comprehensively beaten by St. Margaretsbury.

From the outset it was impossible to tell which was the side who had already played twice that week, or indeed who was the side struggling at the wrong end of the table. Only one side was truly ‘up for it’, and, unfortunately, it wasn’t those in green for whom too many players had an off night.

A drab first half saw little in the way of goalmouth action, with the hosts taking the game to Aylesbury early on and forcing a number of corners.

The first attempt at goal came after a half-cleared free-kick dropped nicely for Tom Scrivens but he got his volley all wrong and fired well wide.

The home side’s attacking pace was a regular threat on the counter attack and on 19 minutes they produced some good build up before it ended when Joe Rudkin curled a shot over.

Aylesbury were getting nowhere at this stage, with the sum total of their efforts a very ambitious shot from Townsend which came about after yet another move had broken down with a poor pass, the ball coming back out to United’s number six but his shot attempt was blocked.

As the midway point of the half came and went the Reds saw a long range attempt sail high and wide. Anstead was then unlucky not to score when his well struck free-kick whistle past the post after a free-kick awarded against Townsend’s challenge.

The Ducks improved slightly towards the end of the half and could have taken the lead when O’Grady’s raking pass picked out Baines in the area, but he got too clean a contact on his header which looped over, with more time than he realised and goalkeeper Buck stranded.

Another attack brought about another talking point in the game, as Coulter sprung forwards only to go down under a defender’s last ditch challenge, but the referee wasn’t interested.

These rare moments of promise came either side of another cheap free-kick concession by United – Edgeworth guilty this time - which nearly allowed the hosts to score, the ball narrowly turned wide by an attacker arriving late at the far post.

Half-time: St. Margaretsbury 0-0 Aylesbury

St. Margaretsbury had the second half’s first effort when the ball fell kindly for Adam Lowton but he wasted the chance by slicing his effort badly wide.

Aylesbury did have their chances to take the lead, but it was a frustrating night for the Ducks in front of goal. Baines nearly had a shooting chance having got free of the defence, then moments later Lea Coulter suddenly found himself with a clear run at goal but could only lob the ball well wide.

Baines really should have done better on 56 minutes when he fired straight at Buck when it looked easier to score, after a woeful defensive clearance came straight to the Aylesbury man 5-yards out.

Coulter was kept at bay again by a good defensive challenge by Adem Salih, and that really was as good as things got as the game soon turned into a nightmare for the travelling side.

Joe Rudkin opened the scoring on 69 minutes, when St. Margaretsbury used their counter-attacking prowess to quickly break and win a corner. The ball was swung in and met with a clean header by Rudkin. 1-0 St. Margaretsbury

Aylesbury offered little by way of response, and instead allowed their hosts to double their lead eight minutes later. After youngster Hateley Mercer gave the ball away with a misplaced pass, St. Margaretsbury broke in numbers and eventually picked out Rudkin in acres of space and he had time to pick his spot – three times if he’d liked. 2-0 St. Margaretsbury

Tony Joyce responded by throwing on Mickey O’Farrell and David King, but the flow of the game couldn’t be turned with Sillitoe having to turn an Anstead shot wide.

The evening took a turn for the worse when the home side added a third five minutes from time. Aylesbury had ample opportunity to clear the ball as it pinged around the box, but it still fell to Ricky Light who was able to fire home. 3-0 St. Margaretsbury

The Ducks did show a bit of urgency in the closing stages of the game, with Mulholland heading a corner straight at Buck, and Townsend extending the home keeper for the first time of the 90 minutes as he had to tip over his header.

Sadly though, it was too little, too late, and the Ducks set off on their trip home reflecting on another away match like Oxhey Jets, Hadley and Kentish Town before it where they really ought to have taken the points but were unable.