Aylesbury made a winning start to their league campaign with a late rally enough to finally overcome a stubborn Stotfold side and win 2-0.
The visitors posed a tough test of United’s credentials, visiting Bell Close with a very tough defence that held out for 84 minutes before finally being breached.
When it came it was a goal worthy of winning the match, as Warren Garcia played an intricate one-two with Ian Cooper before finding the net. Cooper later scored in injury to time to cap what turned out to be an excellent night for the Ducks, when for so long the match seemed destined for a frustrating goalless draw.
It is exactly that kind of character and unwavering determination that United will need to display this season if they are to fulfil the ‘title challengers’ label placed on them, and whilst it’s early days, two wins, six goals and two clean sheets from the opening two games shows promise.
The Ducks made a decent start to the game and Acheampong might have done better with a header from the centre of the goal which flashed over, whilst an audacious effort from Edgeworth nearly caught Eely out – the visiting keeper having to tip the ball over after it bounced in front of him – and from the resulting corner Hatch hammered over.
In Paul Garrett, 31-goals for Langford last season, Stotfold always had a danger man up front to complement their mean defence and he went close with a shot on the turn, before feeding Lee Pateman two minutes later for a wild effort.
The first half continued evenly as Wood and Garcia both tried their luck with long-shots, before Sillitoe was called into serious action by Pateman who skipped past his man and fired an effort which was just creeping into the bottom corner but for the keeper’s intervention.
Hatch continued his unfortunate early-season theme of missing open goals when he spooned over at a corner kick from 2-yards, and United went close again on the half hour mark when a classy turn and shot from Cooper flew just wide having fed on Acheampong’s flick.
The high octane action continued with the Ambers escaping what looked a clear handball in the penalty box, then going straight down the other end to nearly score when Ryan Aldrin was just unable to turn in a right-wing cross.
It was United who looked more like making the breakthrough as a couple more efforts from Hatch – a header deflected wide, and a shot turned beyond the post - came and went as the busy end to the first half continued, although only half chances followed and it remained stalemate at the interval.
Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Stotfold
At the break Aylesbury introduced Ben Baines for his 100th Aylesbury appearance, and the first minute saw a Bircham free-kick met by John Mulholland, who returned from suspension on Saturday, but his header lacked power.
Garrett should have done better seconds later when he scuffed a shot goalwards amongst poor defending by United. Sillitoe then made his second great save of the night to tip over a header from Garrett after a good run by Holmes and cross which looped up off Mulholland.
The corner kick flashed all the way across goal as the Ducks faced more danger, but following that the game settled down again and a quiet period yielded little in way of chances although Reynolds wasted a free-kick by smashing well over after Field had body checked in full flight by Bickerstaff.
Aylesbury were seeing plenty of the ball without doing much with it, and it was Stotfold who were threatening as the second period reached the midway point. A dangerous free-kick delivery had to be headed behind by Hatch, and successive corner kicks meant nervy moments for the Aylesbury faithful.
In the 70th minute Garrett got goal-side of Mulholland but went for goal with an early effort which went well wide and the visitors had two more long rangers which were fairly harmless.
Ten minutes from the end and Sillitoe rescued Aylesbury again with a low, sprawling save having come off his line to meet Holmes who had easily gone past a number of tired, desperate challenges in the box.
Having survived that scare, Aylesbury then dug deep and came up with a winner. Garcia collected possession near the left touchline, played a well worked one-two with Cooper before striking a shot which, although slightly scuffed, was in from the moment it left his boot due to its placement. 1-0 Aylesbury
In stoppage time Stotfold virtually giftwrapped a second goal for the Ducks when Acheampong retrieved a suicidal square pass across the box, went for goal and saw his effort parried by Eely – where Cooper said ‘thank you very much’ and rolled it into the empty net. 2-0 Aylesbury
Job done for Aylesbury and so ended an ultimately very satisfactory night’s work and make it two wins from the first two games for the first time since 1998.
