Aylesbury made it four wins in a row, but they laboured to the narrowest of victories at landlords Leighton Town in an uninspiring Bell Close derby.

Jason Blackett’s sixth goal of the season eventually proved decisive, as home side Town’s downfall was all of their own doing – reduced to ten men after just nine minutes and then gifting the Ducks the winner with a woeful backpass.

Tony Joyce kept faith with the same starting eleven from Tuesday’s excellent win at Potters Bar, but whether his team had overexerted themselves or for another reason, Aylesbury just couldn’t attain the same levels of performance.

Historically, Aylesbury/Leighton derbies have been fairly drab affairs with few goals and this was no exception, a match of low quality and few opportunities that both sides huffed and puffed their way through.

The main talking point of the opening quarter was the early dismissal of home keeper Matt Griggs. Aggrieved by Richard Armstrong’s late aerial challenge on him, Griggs approached the Aylesbury man before punching him in the face in an act of sheer stupidity, and was soon taking the long walk back to the changing rooms.

Leighton sacrificed striker Ben Gallant for deputy goalkeeper Sam Leggett, and despite the early setback the Reds were largely the better team as United struggled to establish themselves.

On 23 minutes a ball through the defence from Shane Bush released Ryan Plowright whose low shot was routinely gathered in by Jack Sillitoe on his near post.

Soon afterwards, and United were gifted the lead. Long serving Leighton stalwart Sam Chapman sold Leggett short with a backpass, and the ever alert Blackett got to the ball first to poke it past Leggett into the net. 1-0 Aylesbury

On another day the goal would have relaxed United and further goals might have followed, and although Keith Williams set up Zack Reynolds for a shot well over the bar, Aylesbury’s ineffective display continued.

Seven minutes from the interval and Keith Williams’s low free kick nearly provided a second goal, as Stacey Field flicked it goalwards, but straight at Leggett who could easily catch and, in stoppage time, a Ben Baines acrobatic shot was plucked out of the air by Leggett after his initial shot had been charged down.

Half-time: Leighton 0-1 Aylesbury

Spectators hoping for an improved second half were to find themselves disappointed as the battling Leighton team continued to keep Aylesbury at bay, although Blackett went close from a goalmouth scramble after Armstrong flicked on Shane Wood’s throw.

Blackett was having another strong game in attack and his good play on the right presented a shooting opportunity in the box for Reynolds, whose effort was blocked, as was another which came in follow up.

Daniel Jones had entered the fray as substitute for Keith Williams, and within four minutes of his introduction he was unfortunate to hit the upright with a typical curling free kick.

Aylesbury’s best self-made opening of the match was created by more hard work by Blackett, winning the ball back from Jack Downes and crossing for Reynolds who controlled a volley well but put the ball the wrong side of the post.

Liam Smyth fired a piledriver over the bar from distance, and Armstrong saw a shot blocked at close range, but as Leighton threw caution to the wind in the closing stages there were some nervy moments to endure at the other end.

Shane Bush should have at least hit the target when the ball was helped on to him, but he shot well over, before in the next minute his header from a free kick had to be clawed out by Sillitoe.

In stoppage time Chapman came close to redeeming his earlier goal-costing error with a well struck shot after a free kick came to him, but Sillitoe produced a flying save to tip the ball around the post.

It was a save which ensured an important three points went the way of Aylesbury, and with another clean sheet secured in the process. Not the best performance, but it’s the result that counts at the end of the day.