Following the deflating defeat at Biggleswade Town on Saturday, manager Jack Wells rang the changes, ahead of a busy spell of matches. Jordan Jenkins was unavailable, but Anthony Ball was available to return at right back; Mark Riddick made his first start after his long lay off in place of Dan Stokoe; while the attacking trio of Lee Stobbs, Ezra Anthonio-Forde and Tyriq Hunte were all rested to the bench, with Stephen Enow, David Pitt and Nasha Mukwada all starting.

The hosts arrived having a high scoring, but also a high goal concession rate in their matches this season, and many at the ground were talking about the recent match at Hertingfordbury Park, which ended in a 4-4 draw, the Ducks recovering from going 3-0 down after 32 minutes. The visitors started strongly, with Jesse Waller-Lassen driving through the Ducks defence past Jack Wood, but seeing his half-hit shot cleared by David Lynn.

Soon after, a pass to Enow wide on the left saw him cut inside and pass to Pitt, who bypassed Ben Herd and shot from 20 yards, but his effort sailed over the crossbar.

After 22 minutes a deep cross from Conor Clarke on the right was met by David Ogbonna, who got in front of Ball to volley towards the near post from 6 yards, but Ducks stopper Jack Hopwood was equal to his effort, blocking the shot. Lynn came to the rescue of the Ducks again in the 28th minute; Ball was beaten by Tami Ogunnowo on the left, who made ground into the penalty area and shot rom 15 yards, but Lynn bravely threw himself in front of the shot to block the chance.

Just past the half hour Pitt collected the ball on the half way line and broke clear of Isaac Pedro before shooting from 35 yards; sadly for the home fans his shot drifted wide of the target. The last chance of the half fell to Zenon Stylianides, after Waller-Lassen got to the byeline and pulled the ball back to him in the 6 yard box, but Hopwood was out very quickly to block his shot.

Half-time: Aylesbury 0-0 Hertford

The second half started with the visitors on the offensive. The dangerous Waller-Lassen played the ball into to fellow striker Stylianides on the edge of the penalty area; he laid it back to Conor Clarke who hit a shot from 25 yards that cannoned off the post, it rebounded back to him, but this time his effort was saved by the feet of Hopwood.

With Anthonio-Forde and Hunte introduced from the bench around the hour mark, the Ducks attack had more intent and pace to trouble the visiting defence; on 66 minutes Sonny French did well on the half way line to thread a ball through the defence to Anthonio-Forde; he rounded the outrushing keeper, but saw his shot cleared by defender Harry Gilzean.

Ten minutes later Ball played a long pass over Gilzean, which fell to Hunte, but his speculative shot from 40 yards was wide of the target. The final chance fell to the visitors in the 85th minute, as a deep cross from player manager Herd found the head of substitute Dontai Stewart, but like Clarke before him, he saw his header strike the post and away to safety.

So, from an 8-goal thriller in November, to a no score draw tonight, but the Ducks can thank an inspired Hopwood for the point tonight, pulling off many vital saves to secure the clean sheet - helped in part by the woodwork of course. After Saturday’s result, there was relief for the Ducks, but the bar rises a bit higher on Saturday, with the visit of FC Romania, currently one point below in the table having played 2 games more; a real 6 pointer and an opportunity to put some daylight between the teams.