Aylesbury made it three wins in a row, but had to survive a second half onslaught from visitors Berkhamsted to eventually win by just the one goal in five.

After United had cruised to a 3-0 half-time lead with one of their best opening 45s of the season, the match should have been dead and buried. But in the true proverbial ‘game of two halves’ the Comrades deserve great credit for their rousing fight back, though Aylesbury stood firm enough to get the job done in the end.

Berkhamsted had the first shot of the game, after six minutes, when the ball was laid back to Danny Power who shot well wide.

With their first foray into an attacking position, United went ahead courtesy of a goal that, had it been scored by Wayne Rooney, would have had the top pundits drooling. Daniel Jones slid in Joey Acheampong, and he bent a sublime arching shot over Ed Farmer and into the opposite top corner. 1-0 Aylesbury

A minute later and it should have been two when Acheampong released strike partner Stacey Field in behind a dangerously high defensive line, but his finish in the one-on-one situation was turned over the bar by Farmer.

Acheampong saw another shot deflected over from the following corner kick, and the chances kept coming as Field met Jones’ whipped delivery at the near post but saw his header hit a defender and go behind.

Field then saw another bad miss go against him when he closed down a hesitant Carmichael to win the ball, but went for a spectacular first time effort with only Farmer to beat and miscued the ball wide.

The Comrades had no answer to Aylesbury’s pacey strikeforce in the first half, and a spellbinding run from Acheampong on 25 minutes nearly opened the door to another goal, when he beat several players but saw his cross-shot fly across goal with nobody on hand to turn the ball in.

Just two minutes later and it was two for the Ducks, and a case of ‘third time lucky’ for Field. A good team move from goalkeeper to strikers saw Sillitoe quickly released Jones, who found Acheampong, who in turn passed to Field and his shot looped up off the keeper’s legs and Field was on to the ball in a flash to fire into the unguarded net. 2-0 Aylesbury

Farmer then made a good clawing save to keep United at bay from a corner kick, before a rare Berkhamsted attack saw Jon Davies attempt an ambitious lob which was easily caught by Sillitoe.

The visitors lost Aaron Usmani to injury just before the break, but his replacement Connor Calcutt nearly made an immediate impact. An awful miscommunication between Jacks Sillitoe and Wood on the edge of the area saw neither take control of the situation, Calcutt running on with the goal vacant, Joe Donaldson coming to the rescue and putting the ball behind with a good challenge.

In time added on Aylesbury added a justified third goal, that man Field finding the net again. Warren Garcia played a through ball which Steve Hawes failed to cut out, Field making no mistake with a rifled finish. 3-0 Aylesbury

The Ducks had yet further chances to extend their lead before the half was out – Paul Edgeworth seeing a shot beaten away by a surprised Farmer, before Ben Baines wasted a one-on-one by shooting straight at the visiting custodian – and United had to be content with just the three at the interval.

Half-time: Aylesbury 3-0 Berkhamsted

With such a convincing half-time cushion there should have been no thoughts of the points going anywhere but Aylesbury, and when Warren Garcia flashed an early shot wide it looked like the second half was going to be much the same as the first.

That was never to be the case though, and the Comrades’ fightback began in earnest with a goal with just eight minutes gone. Matt Wardle got the better of Donaldson, and fired home his 10th league goal of the season with an accurate finish across Sillitoe. 1-3

With Berko rejuvenated by their goal, Aylesbury were never given chance to settle and looked a different team entirely from that point on.

Wardle fired a volley just wide, and some neat interplay set up Mark Welling for a shot but he pulled his effort well off target.

The pressure told on 63 minutes as the visitors pulled back another goal. The ball was squared into the box from the left where substitute Calcutt was waiting to turn it in at the near post despite Sillitoe’s best efforts. 2-3

It continued to be one-way traffic, but as the minutes ticked by United were gradually able to stabilise and Berkhamsted were generally restricted to long shots, Sillitoe dealing particularly well with one effort from Davies which he had to hold with players closing in.

A rare Aylesbury attack saw Acheampong roll a shot wide, but action was soon back at the other end and the visitors had the clear cut chance they needed to level. A cross in from the left was met by Calcutt, but he could only head down and the ball bounced up for Sillitoe to tip over.

The resulting corner kick found Berkhamsted players queuing up, but again the chance was wasted and the ball headed wide. Then, in stoppage time, a dangerous ball in from the left flashed across goal but nobody could get on the end and apply a finishing touch.

That proved to be the last kick of the game and Aylesbury had escaped the onslaught with all three points.