Aylesbury were unable to build on their four-match unbeaten run as three second half goals had them beaten 3-0 at home to Kettering Town, who maintained their playoff drive with a seventh straight win.

The side’s last meeting had been a seven goal thriller at Latimer Park in September, which included two goals in the first ten minutes, but there was no such drama in a goalless first half of this affair as the sides were evenly matched.

Eventually though the chasm in quality told, but United were frustratingly guilty of gifting their opponents their chances on an afternoon when individual errors punished clinically.

With Liam Smyth absent, the Ducks brought fit again Zack Reynolds in for his first start in over a month as Steve Hatch pushed into midfield, whilst Stacey Field replaced Paul Edgeworth to lead the line.

It was Kettering who went close first when, in the first minute, Kettering’s star man Dubi Ogbonna twisted and turned in the box before forcing Jack Sillitoe to claw away his rising shot across goal.

Sillitoe was again desperately grasping for the ball on 19 minutes, this time Jon Bukasa’s dangerous cross being well dealt with by the Aylesbury keeper.

Although Keith Williams had a shot blocked early in the half, at that point the Ducks had yet to create a clear cut opportunity. That changed when they countered swiftly: Field beating Henry Eze for pace before squaring to Hatch who in turn found Ben Baines, who was unable to crown his 200th Aylesbury appearance with a goal as he scuffed the ball wide.

The Poppies were also struggling for good openings, as an Ogbonna shot and then a stride forwards and shot from Jonathan Thorpe both missed the target, as did a Reynolds half volley for Aylesbury that crashed over the bar at the other end.

Aylesbury struggled to get to grips with Kettering’s long balls all afternoon, and whilst it would cost them in the second half, they were given a warning when Elliot Sandy scampered free on one such ball but lifted his effort over the bar under heavy pressure with only the keeper to beat.

Sandy missed again five minutes later when the ball dropped to him on the edge of the box, but was rammed wide, and again shortly before the break when a long goal kick put him in behind the defence but his touch took him too wide and his shot only found the side netting.

In between, Aylesbury’s last first half moment of attacking note saw Hatch find Field who could only screw the ball wide with his weaker foot.

Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Kettering

The importance of a good start to the second half by United was lost on nobody inside Bell Close, but unfortunately Kettering opened the scoring after just 69 seconds. The goal was an absolute gift as hesitancy from Sillitoe to come off his line and meet a long ball, and the defence being unable to clear, allowed Thorpe to nip in and accept the invitation to roll it into the empty net. 1-0 Kettering

Yet another long ball saw Ogbonna first to it just three minutes later, but he lashed the ball over the bar and Aylesbury were reprieved.

Out of nowhere, Lee Grace then had a glorious-looking chance to bring the game level again when a misplaced defensive header dropped kindly to him eight-yards from goal, but, having to take it quickly on the volley, he slotted wide.

Had that gone in then things might have been different, but instead most of the half’s remainder belonged to the visitors and once the second goal went in, just before the hour mark, it was a comfortable conclusion to the match.

Before that, Ogbonna headed a left wing cross over the bar and Sandy saw a shot blocked, before Jamie Clifton robbed Grace before cutting infield but lashing a left footed shot wide of the target.

Kettering’s second again stemmed from a long ball downfield, this time Ogbonna getting the better of Jack Wood and beating Sillitoe to score his 16th goal in 24 games for the Poppies. 2-0 Kettering

Once again, United instantly had a chance to register on the scoresheet when Keith Williams’s corner was misshit by Hatch, the ball coming through to Joey Acheampong who could only produce an airkick three-yards from goal.

The visitors continued to have the better of the play, Thorpe running onto a flicked on ball but placing his shot wide, and then the same player firing in a shot that came back off the beleaguered Sillitoe’s chest.

Tony Joyce responded with a triple substitution that saw Paul Edgeworth come on for his 250th game in green and white, with Liam Murphy and Daniel Jones also entering the fray.

Jones’s corner two minutes later gave Bill Murphy a chance, but he headed over, which was about as close as the Ducks were to come again.

Kettering made a double change of their own, and in between audacious long shots from Bukasa and Sandy, Chris Logan towered high to meet James Jepson’s corner kick but couldn’t connect properly and headed over.

The Poppies’s third substitute, Louis Hamilton, added some further gloss to the scoreline with a goal a minute into stoppage time having only been on the pitch six minutes. A low pass was allowed to travel some sixty-yards without being cut out, dissecting the defence where Hamilton tricked his way past Sillitoe and scored. 3-0 Aylesbury

A disappointing way to end the afternoon for the Ducks, who will now be looking to bounce back in Easter Monday’s trip to Beaconsfield SYCOB.