Aylesbury produced a late fight back to salvage an unlikely looking point at league strugglers Kentish Town after a below-par performance had left them staring down the barrel of a first defeat in five after the home side had scored a goal in each half to take command of the game.

But when Emefuna?s ball across the box was turned into his own net by Fabion Simms in the 89th minute United suddenly had hope, before Ben Baines? goal deep into stoppage time completed the recovery.

The Copthall Athletics Stadium provides something of a unique setting for a football match, but sadly an awful playing surface on which the Ducks struggled from the off with the unpredictable nature of the ball making their usual passing game impossible

In the very first minute Town won a corner which Michael Pattrick rose unchallenged for but could only head wide. This was quickly followed by Gustavo Angel lashing a shot high and wide from outside the area.

Kentish keeper Ewan Byrne was largely untested during the first half, or indeed the first 85 minutes, but United did have chances when, in a rare move of quality from Aylesbury, Townsend and Coulter linked up well before the latter played in Edgeworth but his shot was deflected wide.

A set piece three minutes later saw Mulholland head the ball on but Coulter was just unable to get on the end of it.

The opening goal went the home side?s way in the 16th minute. Angel was played in over the top and as United?s defence appealed in vain for offside he played a square pass for Lee Scott to finish despite the attentions of Jack Wood. 1-0 Kentish Town

Aylesbury were dealt another blow minutes later when captain Paul Edgeworth had to be withdrawn injured following a collision with the goalkeeper and was replaced in midfield by Warren Garcia.

Town had the next effort when a seemingly goalbound shot was diverted from the target by the arriving Scott at close range who argued his case for going for the ball to his aggrieved team mate who had the initial effort.

This was closely followed at the other end by a good chance for Ben Baines who met Wood?s free-kick ahead of Byrne but could only direct the ball across goal as opposed to into it, where two players coming in were unable to reach it.

The Ducks ended the half with a couple of half chances from Townsend who shot well wide from range and Coulter whose header was easily caught by Byrne ? his only real ?action? of the first period.

Half-time: Kentish Town 1-0 Aylesbury

The travelling fans were hoping for another rousing second half display, like that which had seen United score five after the break the previous Tuesday, but on this occasion they were to be largely disappointed.

In a dreadfully slow start to the second period from both sides it was Town who should have scored on 53 minutes when a free header at a corner kick was put wide.

Aylesbury then had a spell in the ascendancy when it looked like things were improving as Baines won the ball back and forced Byrne into a save before Coulter scuffed a shot wide when well placed.

On the hour mark Robbie Kean did well to trick his way into the box before passing to substitute Acheampong (on for another injury victim in Jack Wood) but having feinted inside of two defenders his shot was eventually blocked.

With Aylesbury pushing forwards in search of an equaliser, as is so often the case in football, they were caught on the break. Substitute Lewis got past Will Smith and cut the ball back for the waiting Scott who fired past the despairing dive of Sillitoe and in off the post. 2-0 Kentish Town

Understandably for a side in the bottom two, Kentish Town employed every trick going to try and hold on to their lead as a number of time wasting antics followed, and Aylesbury were growing increasingly frustrated at their inability to make any kind of impression on the game.

Townsend shot wide and Baines headed straight at the keeper as the Ducks just didn?t look like scoring.

Byrne made his first save of the match to deny Garcia on 80 minutes after the midfield man stole in at the back post to volley goalwards, but Byrne did well to block on his near post.

As the match entered its final minute United were handed a lifeline. Coulter fed Emefuna and his attempted ball across the area was turned into his own net by Fabion Simms to pull a goal back for United. 1-2

Suddenly Aylesbury had something to cling on to and hopes were raised throughout the team, but time certainly wasn?t on their side and when Baines headed over a gilt-edged chance from 5-yards out it looked like game over.

But further drama was to follow when Fabion Simms completed a disappointing minute personally when he was sent off for a ridiculously late, clattering challenge on Baines which saw the Aylesbury man booked for unsurprisingly taking exception to it.

Not only did it reduce Kentish Town to ten men, it also added some precious stoppage time minutes for United. These finally paid off when, in the 95th minute, they loaded the box with all eleven players for a corner kick which fell kindly for Ben Baines to fire home and salvage the draw. 2-2

There was barely time for the restart, but for Aylesbury the result was well celebrated as for 85 minutes of this game they looked set to be going home with nothing.