After an enforced lay off due to having no game scheduled the previous weekend, the Ducks travelled to Kempston Rovers looking to gain points to aid their fight against relegation. Changes to the starting line up after the draw at Didcot 10 days ago saw the return at full back of Anthony Ball after a short injury, meaning a shift forward for Harry Jones, replacing David Pitt who was missing due to injury.

On arrival at the ground the game looked in doubt, with heavy rain falling and puddles forming in the goal mouths and across the pitch. However, after the rain stopped, sterling work by the staff at Kempston saw the standing water forked away and referee Alan Cox was happy to declare the pitch playable.

The home side started well, causing confusion in the Ducks defence, as Jack Wood, Mark Riddick and David Lynn got in each other’s way, allowing debutant Lorrell Smith to escape with the ball on the left flank. Wood got back well to challenge, but the ball fell to Ben stevens 20 yards out, but his shot was straight at Jack Hopwood.

Stevens was looking bright down the right flank in the early stages and he opened the scoring in the 12th minute. James Hatch picked up the ball 35 yards from goal and played the ball to Stevens just inside him; as Hatch made a run off the ball, no one tracked his run and he exchanged passes with Stevens before the winger fired home powerfully from the edge of the penalty area. 1-0 Kempston

After a yellow card for Jacob Anderson for a pull on Ben Seaton’s arm, Ethan Holt stepped up to take the free kick from 25 yards, but his shot was too high to trouble George Rose in the home goal.

Stevens had another opportunity just past the half hour, finding space again on the right he drove towards goal and shot at goal, but Hopwood was well placed at the near post to save and concede a corner.

Shortly afterwards, Seaton did well in midfield before feeding the ball to Jack Moriarty, whose shot from 30 yards lacked power and drifted wide.

In the 37th minute Stevens made a driving run at the heart of the Ducks defence, before having his shot blocked; the ball fell to full back Jake Kerins up in support, who shot over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Five minutes from the break, Wood carried the ball out of defence and spotted the run of Holt beyond the defence; Wood’s pass found the striker, who shot from outside of the penalty area was well saved by Rose. Shortly afterwards, a corner delivered by Seb Simpson was palmed out by Hopwood under pressure on his goal line; the ball fell to Lee Cooksey 6 yards out who saw his volley clear the cross bar when he should probably have done better.

As the half drew to a close, the goal mouth action intensified, both sides looking to score. Next up, a good run by Moriarty on the edge of the penalty area saw him find Tyriq Hunte, whose shot was blocked, falling to Jones, who took a touch and shot, seeing Cooksey in the way, deflecting the ball calling on Rose to make a good save.

Into added on time, Holt was fouled 35 yards out as he challenged for the ball; the referee played on and the ball was recycled to Jones on the right. He spotted the run of Moriarty, who crossed to the far post, where Holt arrived to sidefoot home to level the scores. 1-1

Half-time: Kempston 1-1 Aylesbury

The second half saw a tactical change, with the introduction of Sonny French in place of Ben Seaton, looking to influence the play further up the pitch. However, the first real chance fell to the home team, Stevens spotting the run of Smith through the middle, but Hopwood was out quickly to block his shot on goal.

Holt did well to hold off the challenge of two defenders before passing to Hunte wide on the left; he cut inside before shooting from 25 yards across goal and just wide of the far post.

The Ducks were in a dominant phase of play at the start of the second period, next Moriarty passed out wide to Ball, who crossed to Jones in a central position; he laid the ball back to Moriarty, who shot from 20 yards just wide of the target.

The Ducks thought that they had taken the lead in the 53rd minute, when French found Holt on the left side of the penalty area; he played the ball across goal to Jones who side footed home, only to be frustrated by the sight of the offside flag being raised.

A defensive header by Riddick cannoned off French and fell kindly to Andrew Osei-Bonsu, who shot from 25 yards, but straight at Hopwood.

Halfway through the second period the hosts had two great opportunities to take the lead; first Dean Dummett collected the ball 35 yards out, drifted past Moriarty and shot from 20 yards, which was well saved by Hopwood. From the next attack, substitute Magloire Muyembe did well on the right before testing Hopwood at his near post, but again the Ducks’ stopper was equal to the danger.

Two minutes later, Ezra Anthonio-Forde, on as a substitute for Jones, collected the ball on halfway, exchanged passes with Holt before shooting from 20 yards which was well saved at the near post by Rose.

With 20 minutes remaining, a short corner on the right saw Muyembe cross into the 6-yard box, Hopwood punched clear as far as Cooksey on the edge of the penalty area, who shot powerfully, but Hopwood was alert enough to tip his effort over the bar. Five minutes later, Muyembe got clear on the right, before pulling the ball back to Hatch on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot was straight at Hopwood.

Ezra had two good opportunities in the next attacks; first Holt got away down the right before pulling the ball back to his strike partner, but his shot was over the cross bar; next he saw a powerful shot from 25 yards well saved by Rose.

The goal that the Ducks deserved came in the 84th minute, courtesy of a fortunate deflection. Ball passed to French on the left edge of the penalty area, he shot from 20 yards, but a deflection saw the ball drop to Mark Riddick in space 10 yards out, who side footed past Rose to give his team the lead. 2-1 Aylesbury

The final 10 minutes were well managed by the Ducks, restricting opportunities for the hosts, the best of these fell to Simpson, just before the final whistle, who shot from 30 yards, but the ball sailed wide. So, a good 3 points on the road, lifting the Ducks above Hertford Town whose game yesterday was postponed. Still work to do, two tough games against Walthamstow (H) next Saturday and Hadley (A) on the Tuesday afterwards, before we travel to Highworth for what promises to be the archetypal 6 pointer at the bottom of the league. Your support for the team in each of these games will be much appreciated.