More frustration for United and FC as fixtures pile up

The Ducks were due to play a crucial game in their battle to avoid relegation as they made the trip to fellow strugglers Hanwell Town, only for the match to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

United remain in the bottom two as a result and this weekend they face trip to high-flying St Ives Town.

Aylesbury FC, who’ve played fewer games (23) than all but two teams in the entire league, have managed just one league game in the whole of 2016 – a 4-2 defeat to Rushden & Diamonds last month.

The Moles have spent much of the season in and around the Division One Central play-offs but as a consequence of the weather, they currently find themselves down in ninth place and 12 points behind fifth place.

However, with games in hand over every team above them, Steve Bateman’s side still harbour promotion ambitions although they will need to start picking up wins quickly with a flurry of fixtures to come over the next month or so, starting with a trip to Bedford Town this weekend.

Last week, Aylesbury United did at least manage to play their Red Insure Cup tie when they pulled off a superb victory over Premier Division side Leamington to reach the competition’s last eight.

Sonny French, Jake Bewley and Bruno Brito were all close to putting Aylesbury ahead in the first half but the game remained goalless at half-time.

The second half saw the Brakes pin Aylesbury back for long spells and Jack Edwards headed over Ross Oulton’s corner before the visitors were wasteful again when a flick on found Lee Moore well placed but he dragged well wide.

The Ducks continued to stand firm, although a half cleared cross did fall at the feet of Taundry who lashed it over the crossbar while Ogleby saw a shot charged down.

Aylesbury had looked effective on the counter-attack throughout the second half, and they made it pay on 83 minutes with what proved to be the winning goal.

Bewley and Brito linked up on the left flank, and although appearing to have overcomplicated things, Brito regained possession and delivered a fine a cross that Tyrone Taylor headed home at the far post.

With nearly ten minutes remaining, Leamington pressed hard for an equaliser, and only a miraculous goalline clearance kept them at bay after Moore rounded Oualah and went for goal where a combination of Bewley and Crook scraped the ball clear and United somehow clung on for an impressive win to book their place in the quarters.

The Ducks will now host Potters Bar Town in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.