Manager Jack Wells made two changes to the team that suffered a disappointing loss at Thame on New Year’s Day, welcoming skipper Jack Wood back to the team after his one match suspension along with Jake Bewley, in place of Jack Empson and Tom Cove. There was also the welcome sight of Kwai Marsh-Brown returning to the subs bench, recovered from what had looked to a be long term injury in the game at Leighton Buzzard just before Christmas.

Despite the heavy rain earlier in the week, the surface at the Meadow was up to its usual high standard, encouraging both teams to play fast attacking football. The Ducks started well, Lewis Crosbie, playing at right back, played a good ball down the right flank where Brayden Daniel sprinted away from Alex Coppin, before bearing down on goal; however, his attempt on goal from 15 yards lacked power and made for an easy save for visiting keeper Alfie Bonfield at his near post.

Daniel was involved again in the 14th minute, escaping the attention of Callum Kane, before seeing his cross deflected for a corner. Dave Pearce took the corner kick and found the head of Ken Feyi, whose flicked header was just too high to trouble Bonfield. From the next attack, Pearce crossed from the left to Feyi, whose header drifted across the goal; Daniel retrieved the ball before firing in a dangerous cross which was cleared by Dan Sears.

The Ducks found the breakthrough in the 19th minute, a long ball forward by Bewley saw Feyi held by Ryan Frater, but referee Stuart Lathan played a good advantage as Daniel collected the ball 30 yards out and advanced towards the penalty area, before shooting across Bonfield into the far corner. 1-0 Aylesbury

The visitors came close to an equaliser in the 25th minute, a stooping header from Wood fell to Conor Clarke; he played the ball back into the penalty area to Connor Vincent who saw his first effort well saved by James Callan, the ball rebounding to the striker for a second attempt which was blocked and cleared by Bewley.

On the half hour Kane escaped from Crosbie down the left and pulled the ball back from the bye line; Callan was able to palm the ball out, but was relieved when it hit Robbie Buchanan, but he saw the ball rebound wide of goal.

The visitors did draw level in the 35th minute, in slightly controversial circumstances. A ball was cleared out of the penalty area and appeared to hit James Peters on the arm, he was able to pass the ball out to Lewis Franklin, who fired the ball towards the near post, where Buchanan was on hand to fire the ball home. 1-1

Two minutes before the break, the Ducks regained the lead; a good ball from Ben Peters saw substitute Sam Doolan slip, leaving Feyi clear on goal. Bonfield came rushing from his line, but mistimed his challenge, allowing Feyi to go round him and tap home into an empty net. 2-1 Aylesbury

With the bench urging the players to concentrate and avoid conceding before the break, the opposite happened; with two minutes of added time played, Franklin got away from Rocko Tamplin on the right, before drilling a low cross towards the near post where Vincent got ahead of Derek Feyi to fire the ball home. 2-2

Half-time: Aylesbury 2-2 Stotfold

The second half started as the first had ended, with another Stotfold goal; a corner by Matthew Ball was met by the head of Peters, whose header was powerful enough to beat Callan. 3-2 Stotfold

In the 52nd minute, the Fold had a great opportunity to extend their lead, Franklin did well to make ground down the right before passing to Buchanan; he crossed to the far post, where strike partner Vincent rose above Crosbie, but directed his header over the crossbar.

The Ducks had a golden opportunity to draw level in the 57th minute, when Daniel beat the offside trap to get clear of the defence; with Bonfield coming out to narrow the angle, he chose to square the ball to Feyi, but his pass was too far in front of his team mate and the attack fizzled out.

The scores were level on the hour mark, when Feyi won the ball in a challenge with Doolan, before sliding a pass through to Daniel, who avoided the challenge of Kane before sliding it past Bonfield to score his second goal of the game. 3-3

Four minutes later, a cross from Kane was headed out by Wood, falling to Peters on the edge of the penalty area; he shot towards goal, but saw the ball deflected and balloon up over Callan, hitting the crossbar and rebounding back into the grateful arms of the keeper.

In the 70th minute, Franklin switched the ball to Kane who crossed to substitute Ashley Kersey, but his header was straight at Callan.

The Ducks regained the lead in the 73rd minute, when Pearce hooked the ball forward to Daniel. He was tackled 35 yards from goal, with the ball falling back to Pearce, who spread the play wide to substitute Marsh-Brown; he looked up and crossed into the penalty area, where Daniel was perfectly placed to head home and claim his hat trick, probably the youngest Ducks player to achieve the feat. 4-3 Aylesbury

With 15 minutes remaining a deep cross from Kane found Franklin unmarked at the far post, he hit a powerful shot which cannoned away off the crossbar. Just two minutes later, the scores were level again, Peters holding off challenges from Crosbie and Wood before firing the ball into the 6-yard box, where Callan made an uncharacteristic mistake, fumbling the ball into the path of Buchanan, who tapped home his second of the game. 4-4

Despite both teams striving for a winner, the game was most noticeable for some robust challenges in the closing minutes, with the referee handing out yellow cards to both sides, but no clear-cut chances were created. So, an 8-goal thriller, with honours even, not exactly what the Ducks would have wanted, but a vital point nonetheless. Next up is another home match, against AFC Dunstable on Sat 13th January