After a five-match losing streak, Aylesbury turned around their fortunes with a first win over Uxbridge since the year 2000, with United’s 3-1 win moving them back up to ninth in the table.
Despite the depleted Ducks squad – Jake Bewley and Lee Grace both unavailable, along with manager Tony Joyce – their performance was deserving of the points, their first since beating Potters Bar Town nearly a month earlier.
As early as the first minute Paul Edgeworth’s free kick – awarded after Adam Pepera had earned a booking for hauling down Jason Blackett - was turned away by goalkeeper Rourke Pickford.
Edgeworth had a good chance two minutes later when he and Jesse Waites combined down the right before the veteran forward’s low cross towards Blackett was half cleared back to him, but he could only fire over first time.
Uxbridge’s first moment of threat wasn’t far away, when William Wambeek fired in a wayward shot which was diverted goalwards by teammate Matt Woods but straight into the arms of Jack Sillitoe.
Always the focal point for Aylesbury’s attacks – Blackett then had two opportunities to give the Ducks the lead, first not making a true contact with Shane Wood’s long throw in, Pickford able to dive on the ball on his goal line, and then an excellent chipped free kick delivery from Shaun Owens grazing his forehead, which wasn’t enough to get it past Pickford.
The visitors came again themselves when Lewis Cole spread the ball wide for full back Dave Thomas who flashed a cross-shot wide, but it was the home side who had the better chances.
United were unlucky to see Paul Edgeworth’s superb chip come back off the bar with Pickford beaten on the half hour mark, but it was only three minutes before they had a deserved lead.
Hatch, from his unfamiliar left wing role, played a fantastic raking pass to dissect the visiting defence, allowing Blackett to take the ball in his stride and finish confidently for his second goal in two games. 1-0 Aylesbury
Shortly before half time and Uxbridge were enraged; the ball was cut back to Wambeek eight-yards from goal, whose fierce shot was charged down by Williams, seemingly hitting his hand in the process, the referee judging the contact to be accidental, before the ball was wastefully lashed over from close range, as the Ducks survived their closest shave of the half.
Half-time: Aylesbury 1-0 Uxbridge
Barely a minute had expired of the second half and Aylesbury were gifted a second goal. Pickford was tempted from his line to claim a high ball, only for Thomas to misjudge his keeper’s position and comically head the ball over him, where the waiting Hatch gleefully tapped into the empty net. 2-0 Aylesbury
The Reds quickly had a chance to reduce the deficit when Woods made progress into the box, firing in a low shot across goal which was somehow kept out by a combination of Sillitoe and Bill Morgan.
Another contentious decision then saw Shane Wood booked when the referee, a full 50-yards from play, adjudged him to have fouled Uxbridge’s attacker in an aerial challenge.
As the last defender the visitors could have had legitimate claim to a card of a different colour, but attentions were soon occupied elsewhere as it transpired a muscle strain was forcing the referee, for the second time this season for Aylesbury, to leave the action.
After several minutes stoppage in play and discussions, the near sided linesman assumed refereeing duties, with a volunteer from the crowd running the line, again to the visitors’ displeasure, but once the dust had settled the eventual free kick was curled over by Wayne Carter.
There was nothing questionable about a third Aylesbury goal on the hour mark, but it was again fortuitous. A corner kick was half cleared before being worked back to Edgeworth on the left, whose attempted cross took a huge deflection off ex-Duck Kieran Knight before looping into the net, ironically the first time Knight has ever found the net for Aylesbury having been a high profile signing twelve years ago! 3-0 Aylesbury
The visitors responded with a double substitution, which included the introduction of leading scorer Craig Tomkins, although it was Pepera who should have pulled a goal back when a deep free kick picked him out in the box, but his header was weak and an easy catch for Sillitoe.
Just three minutes later and Uxbridge did get on the scoresheet, Lewis Cole getting between defenders to stoop and head home a right wing cross. 1-3
It marked the start of a dominant end to the match by the visitors, as Sillitoe did well to hold onto an 83rd minute long range effort, before Tomkins got up to head a corner kick back across goal without anybody on hand to turn the ball home, before Thomas volleyed over in stoppage time.
A closer end to the game than it should have been, but a much needed win for the Ducks was the outcome nonetheless, and a very important three points after so much recent disappointment.
