Having been held to a 1-1 draw by basement side North Greenford United a week earlier, United made the trip to second-bottom AFC Hayes – who were looking to further boost their survival chances having enjoyed an upturn in fortunes and taken seven points from their previous three games.
The Aylesbury side featured debutant Sonny French, who played the full ninety minutes in midfield, whilst Dan Green made his full debut in goal and Shaun Owens replaced Jordan Frederick, also in the centre of the park.
French, who concluded a midweek transfer from town neighbours Aylesbury FC, had an effective first game playing just behind Stacey Field, and was later to create the opening goal for Lea Coulter.
The first chance of the match came to AFC Hayes and Ryan Debattista, who slashed the ball well wide as it dropped to him in the box.
Aylesbury’s first attempt arrived a minute later when Coulter shot tamely straight at Melvin Minter from range, but he should have done better with a clearer opening moments afterwards. Lee Grace released Joey Acheampong down the right whose low pass was skied by Coulter.
The probing continued with Field chesting down for French who, keen to make an impression, lashed a shot wide, before a well delivered Owens free kick was just as well defended by veteran former Aylesbury defender Cristian Barrett, who headed it behind.
Green was called into action on 17 minutes when a clever through ball found Eugene Asante, but the Aylesbury keeper was off his line quickly to stand firm and save.
At the other end Minter was similarly occupied when French broke into the box but saw the ball smothered by the home keeper, and from the resulting corner Acheampong saw a shot blocked.
Three minutes later and the Ducks were ahead, following a flowing counter attack from one end of the field to the other. Acheampong, by the corner flag, found Field who in turn found French and he played in Coulter with a fine through ball. Though his initial effort was blocked, fortune favoured the United man as the ball rebounded off him and into the empty net. 1-0 Aylesbury
That was the last meaningful action of the first half as Aylesbury comfortably kept Hayes at bay, whilst the action was regularly disrupted by a rather card happy referee.
Half-time: AFC Hayes 0-1 Aylesbury
The second period started with another chance for Debattista, who had nine goals in ten AFC Hayes games previously, but he pulled a snapshot wide of the target after a misdirected Bewley header fell his way.
Barrett headed a free kick wide from close range, whilst Bewley blazed a free kick over the crossbar and French placed a shot wide, but clear cut chances continued to be at a premium as the match ticked past the hour mark.
Green was called upon again on 67 minutes when substitute David Manu, who once scored a wonderful individual goal against the Ducks for North Greenford, fired in a daisycutter of a shot which Green got down to push away and keep just out of reach of Debattista.
AFC Hayes began to increase the pressure on Aylesbury, and whilst some strong defending from the Wood brothers was mostly keeping them at bay, the hosts missed an absolute sitter seven minutes from time. Manu wriggled free to the byeline before crossing low and hard where Jordan Berry slammed it wide from eight yards.
It was a miss the home side were made to rue seconds later when Acheampong put in a peach of a cross from the right which was met by Jack Wood, arriving late to slide home and celebrate his 250th club appearance with a goal which sealed all three points for United. 2-0 Aylesbury
There was still time for Hayes to waste another good chance when a deep free kick was headed on to Manu who, hanging in the air, sent a header goalwards which was dived on by Green and another headed chance in stoppage time saw Debattista put the ball over from close range.
The win took Aylesbury’s unbeaten run to three matches, with Hanwell Town next on the horizon as the Ducks look to finally win back to back league games for the first time since September.
