A late equaliser denied the Ducks all three points in an entertaining game that had seen Aylesbury twice take the lead, before eventually drawing 2-2 at Sharpenhoe Road for the second season running.
Following on from their penalties win over Redditch United at the weekend, full backs Shane Wood and Jake Bewley were back in the fold at the expense of George Tomlin and John Mulholland, but the rest of the team was unchanged.
Aylesbury made a positive, attacking start to the game and could have been ahead in the second minute as Stacey Field helped the ball on to strike partner Eoin Casey whose shot was turned behind by Kyle Forster. The resulting driven corner from Ash Farmer was met by Jack Wood by caught fairly easily by Forster.
Bewley then made progress down the left flank and found Casey whose turn and shot went over the bar.
Their bright opening was rewarded on six minutes with a quality first Aylesbury goal from young Nathan Tshikuna. Farmer’s cross-shot fell at his feet and though his first effort was blocked, the second was curled perfectly beyond Forster and into the far corner. 1-0 Aylesbury
Barton fashioned their first opening in the tenth minute when Elliot Bailey hoisted in a cross that ex-Duck Jason Blackett headed over from close range.
The former United frontman was demonstrating all the qualities that made him so popular during his time with the Ducks and, in typical style, his clever shielding of the ball on 12 minutes invited some desperate challenges just inside the box. When he was clipped Barton were awarded a penalty from which Kevin Kilroy made no mistake. 1-1
Blackett’s ball into the box presented the next opportunity when it was half cleared as far as Jordan Davis who could only drill an effort wide.
At the other end Farmer shot over after Forster was found flailing at a long free kick, but it was the hosts who were growing in stature as Aylesbury struggled to deal with their attacking movement with Davis particularly impressive.
His long dribble and slide rule pass into Bailey saw the former St. Albans man hit the bar, with Blackett heading the rebound over as the goal gaped.
A counter attack then saw James Bishop drive in a shot that Alex Tokarczyk turned wide.
The first half was a wide open affair and Aylesbury were next to have two decent chances, both blocked on the line. Tshikuna drifted in from the left wing once again but saw his effort stopped by Forster, and less than a minute later Casey met Shane Wood’s long throw but saw his goalbound effort stopped by a defender.
As the half hour mark passed still the chances continued to come frequently. Blackett saw a shot well blocked by the excellent Shane Wood, whilst a ball cut back to Claudio Dias saw him lash a shot over the bar and then Blackett then got up to lever down Forster’s free kick to Connor Vincent who could only drag his attempt wide.
Barton were made to rue their missed chances, nearly by Casey who fired in a left footed half volley inside the area but didn’t really catch the ball well enough to beat Forster.
Instead, it was Collard who notched his fourth of the season to send the Ducks in to half time ahead. Another bullet of a long throw from Shane Wood had Forster struggling again, and as the ball sailed over him Collard rose to nod home. 2-1 Aylesbury
Half-time: Barton 1-2 Aylesbury
The hosts lost the services of lynchpin defender and captain Paul Andrews at the interval, with another former (one time) United man entering the fray in Orlando Joao in a defensive reshuffle.
Both sides started the second period with ambitious long range efforts: Field for Aylesbury letting fly from a wide position but seeing the ball hit the station behind the goal, whilst Barton’s Vincent was well wide with a similarly audacious volley from distance.
A poor touch from Jack Wood gave Davis the next chance when he wriggled away, but the Ducks skipper made amends with a fine recovery block to keep his shot at bay.
The ever-dangerous Tshikuna then got free at the other end and having drifted past several defenders saw his shot saved by Forster, with Field firing the rebound over although flagged offside anyhow.
Midway through the second half and Rovers hit the bar for a second time when Joe Reynolds’s thunderous strike came back off the woodwork.
The Ducks continued to hold firm as a minute later Jack Wood blocked a Dias shot, before a very hopeful 40-yard attempt from Lucas Perry flew wide.
A rather unsavoury off the field incident behind the dugouts then saw the game held up for a short while as the perpetrator of an attack on one of the travelling supporters was removed.
Whether this delay caused Aylesbury to lose focus was a cause of debate, but the Ducks looked to be doing enough to hold on to their win, only for disaster to strike as Aylesbury were unable to clear their lines and there was Connor Vincent to bury the loose ball. 2-2
The goal was officially given as being score on 90 minutes, but there was still time for a fabulous through ball to release Perry whose finished lacked finesse as the ball sailed over the bar.
Meanwhile, substitute Billy Adcock shot over the bar from Tshikuna’s headed down cross, but a winner would have been harsh on either side with a share of the spoils a fair result in the end.
Unfortunately the major talking point after the game was the shameful actions of one individual, when what should have been remembered was an excellent, thoroughly entertaining match and a decent point for the Ducks which could well have been more.
