A disastrous second half capitulation saw Aylesbury well beaten at Kempston Rovers and defeated in the league for the first time in over a month.

For 54 minutes or so, there was nothing between the sides.

Indeed, a strong start to the second half saw Lea Coulter inches away from giving Aylesbury the lead when he rounded the keeper but saw his effort heroically scraped off the line by a defender at the last second with Ollie Hogg closing in.

Within seconds Jake Newman was heading in the opener, and after he followed that with another four minutes afterwards the hosts were in complete control, scoring twice late on to finish the rout.

The facial injury sustained at the weekend meant skipper Jack Wood missed only his second match since the start of 2015, whilst Bruno Brito was also out with an injury from the same game, and with a big FA Cup tie on the horizon it was something of a makeshift team that took to the field – Chris Cordara-Soanes drafted in at left back and Greg Williams making his 399th club appearance at right back.

The game was slow to get going, devoid of any action until the 12th minute when Lea Coulter’s long throw was flicked over the bar by Alex Collard. Then, at the other end, Kempston won their first corner of the night which was turned wide at the near post by Seb Simpson.

As the half reached its midway point Kempston were gradually increasing the pressure, but in spite of this it was the Ducks who threatened when a marauding run from Williams won a free kick which was drilled in low by Reece Cameron where it was flicked goalwards but blocked.

Jack Sillitoe was called into action for the first time when a ball over the defence found Newman running clear but Sillitoe was out quickly to thwart him.

A half cleared free kick less than a minute later gave Rovers another big chance as Newman stood the ball up to the far post where Robbie Goodman’s header had to be smartly tipped over by Sillitoe.

Aylesbury’s best chance of the half came ten minutes before the interval. Having won the ball back in midfield, Harry Jones slipped a clever through ball into the path of Sonny French but with only Conway to beat the keeper came out on top with a save by his trailing leg.

The impressive Sam Johnson ghosted past Cordara-Soanes before his cross-cum-shot came back off the inside of the post with Sillitoe rooted to the spot, Jamaine Ivy only to blast the rebound over the bar.

Sillitoe was called upon again in first half stoppage time when Luke Heneghan made tracks down the left flank before cutting inside and going for goal with a swerving effort that the goalkeeper just about kept out.

Half-time: Kempston 0-0 Aylesbury

Aylesbury’s positive approach from the restart saw first Jones slice a shot wide having been released by Coulter’s flick to a long ball, before Coulter’s aforementioned near miss.

Sonny French got in on the act too, playing a slick one-two to gain ground in the box but his shot across goal was clung on to expertly by the hands of Conway.

From there things took a dramatic turn for the worse. Johnson was afforded too much space on the right wing, where he whipped the ball into the near post for Newman to flick the ball into the top corner beyond the despairing Sillitoe. 1-0 Kempston

Cordara-Soanes was immediately substituted at left back, but a misunderstanding between his replacement Ashlan Bubb and Ryan Kinnane again allowed Johnson in down the flank. Once again the result was the same as he picked out Newman was left completely unmarked to easily nod home his second. 2-0 Kempston

Two goals in the space of four minutes left United facing a mountain to climb, and again there was an immediate change as Tyriq Hunte was introduced for the ineffective Cameron. Ollie Hogg had become yet another injury victim, and he too was withdrawn for the returning Nick Kalakoutis to make his second ‘debut’.

Newman missed two chances for his hat-trick when firstly he flicked a header wide after Johnson had yet again found space for a cross from the right, before a pass swept forwards put him clean through only to drag his shot wide of the target.

Kempston scored their third seven minutes from the end, Johnson capping his fine night’s work by getting between defenders to receive a forward ball with a fabulous first touch, and then lift it over the advancing Sillitoe into the net. 3-0 Kempston

Mike Lyon fired a shot straight at Sillitoe, but United’s misery was compounded by a fourth goal. As the Ducks failed to clear their lines, former Aylesbury man Nathan Tshikuna lofted a shot over the stranded Sillitoe and into the far corner. 4-0 Kempston

Tshikuna could have had another when he shot straight at Sillitoe at the death, as a difficult end to the game for the Ducks drew to a close.