Aylesbury United's hopes of making it 5 wins from their first 5 league games for the first time since at least before the Second World War were dashed as they were held to a 1-1 home draw by North Leigh in their Pitching In Southern League Division 1 Central clash at The Meadow, Chesham.

Aylesbury had gone into the game in 4th place in the table as the lowest placed of 4 teams all level on 12 points but with United having the most inferior goal difference of the four.

Meanwhile, North Leigh went into the game on the back of an 8-0 away defeat by Real Bedford the previous Saturday (albeit with several regulars out), which was their 4th straight league defeat and their 5th in all competitions.

That defeat by Real Bedford and results elsewhere left North Leigh bottom of the table as one of 4 teams all without a point, with North Leigh having the worst goal difference of the four.

The first chance came North Leigh's way deep into the 6th minute when Victor Hernandez played a one-two on the left with Kyle Chester before sending a short low forward ball to the on-running Chester. He ran into the left of the box before passing infield to his right to Connor Barrett, whose right foot shot from 18 yards was blocked by Jake Bewley.

Aylesbury's first opening came in the 8th minute when Will St Clair-Burton's low diagonal ball from the centre circle found Kwai Marsh-Brown on the right, who took a touch to control and ran on before having his dipping cross clawed away at his right hand post by North Leigh keeper Monty Marriott before it dipped under the bar.

North Leigh went close just into the 10th minute when Riley Cotter cut in from the left and passed low infield to Barrett, who took a touch to control 25 yards out in a central position and made space for himself before having his dipping right foot shot from 20 yards well parried to his right by Ducks keeper Jack Hopwood for a corner.

Another chance came the visitors' way in the 23rd minute when Michael Hopkins' long aerial diagonal ball from the halfway line found Barrett 20 yards inside the Aylesbury half. He took a touch to control and another before passing low infield go Cotter on the right hand front edge of the box, who took a touch to control before having his low left foot shot held at his kept hand post by Hopwood.

Then in the 25th minute, disaster struck for United as North Leigh took the lead. Hopkins picked up the ball 40 yards out on the left and passed infield to his right to Barrett, who took a touch 25 yards out and beat Jack Wood before waltzing through the rest of The Ducks defence to leave himself one on one with Hopwood before firing his low left foot shot from 12 yards into Hopwood's left hand corner. 1-0 North Leigh

It was the first league goal Aylesbury had conceded this season in their 5th game - the last time that The Ducks had not conceded a goal in any of their first 5 league games of a season had been at least since before the end of the Second World War.

Then just before the end of the 30th minute, Cotter was yellow carded by Northampton referee Jamie Stevenson for a bad late tackle on Aylesbury's Charley Tuttle.

Aylesbury equalised just into the 32nd minute when Ben Stallard's corner from the right to the far post found the unmarked Morrison Hashii, who was given the freedom of Chesham by the visiting defence to send his header from 8 yards into Marriott's bottom right hand corner for his 5th goal of the season. 1-1

The hosts went close to going ahead in the 35th minute when, after a patient build-up in the middle, Stallard's short low diagonal through ball found Hashii 35 yards out and he took a touch to control and ran forward before having his right foot shot from 25 yards touched onto the bar to his right by Marriott.

The last chance of the half came United's way in the 42nd minute when Marsh-Brown made a diagonal run from the right to the left of middle before laying off a diagonal ball to St Clair-Burton on the left, who took a touch to control before cutting in and having his right foot shot from 20 yards held at head height at his right hand post by Marriott.

Half time: Aylesbury United 1-1 North Leigh

The first chance of the second half came The Ducks' way in the 49th minute when Wood's long cross from the halfway line on the right found St Clair-Burton in the D, who chested it down and swivelled before firing his right foot shot well over the bar.

Aylesbury made their first change in the 52nd minute when Luqman Kassim came on to replace Ben Peters.

United went close in the 53rd minute when Hashii made a good run down the left, evading first Barrett and then Jack Alexander on his way into the left of the box and ran towards the byeline before having his shot blocked for a corner.

Another chance came Aylesbury's way in the 58th minute when Marsh-Brown ran down the left before sending a through ball to Hashii, who won a challenge with Zion Nditi before having his cross from the left, which was intended for Kamil Zielinski, headed away by a defender.

North Leigh went close in the 60th minute when Barrett's low left free kick from 35 yards was parried to his right by Hopwood for a corner.

Another chance came the visitors' way at the end of the 62nd minute when Nditi's throw-in from the left was headed out by Bewley and the ball fell to Barrett, who fired his left foot shot from 20 yards wide of Hopwood's left hand post.

Then right at the end of the 67th minute, Zielknski was yellow carded for pushing a defender over.

North Leigh made their first change in the 77th minute when Harvey Fox came on replace Hernandez.

A half chance came North Leigh's way just into the 80th minute when, from Fox's cross from the left, Chester was in on Hopwood but The Ducks' keeper was able to claim before Fox was set to meet the ball with his head.

Then at the other end in the 82nd minute, Bewley's through ball on the left found Tuttle, who ran forward before seeing his cross go over the bar when he perhaps could have done better.

Then deep into the 84th minute came a controversial moment. Tuttle's short low forward ball on the left from 10 yards inside his own half found Hashii just inside the North Leigh half with the overlapping Tuttle running past Barrett. Tuttle was tripped by Barrett with Barrett falling over him and landing on top of him but leaving the North Leigh man injured. Tuttle then pushed Barrett off him on the blind side of the referee, who thought that Tuttle had actually punched Barrett when he could not possibly have seen it.

To the amazement of everyone especially Tuttle, referee Stevenson showed the Aylesbury man a straight red card and sent him off to leave The Ducks to battle on with 10 men for the remaining 6 minutes plus added time. Meanwhile, Barrett escaped any punishment for his part in the incident.

Aylesbury made a double change just into the 87th minute when Kacper Kloc came on to replace Kassim and Kajetan Halatyn came on to replace Marsh-Brown.

A chance came North Leigh's way just into the 89th minute when a ball over the top from the halfway line found Harvey Fox, whose left foot shot from 10 yards was saved at point blank range by Hopwood. The rebound ran to Fox who fired his left foot shot over the bar.

With the 4th Official having indicated a minimum of 6 minutes of added time to be played at the end, North Leigh made their second change just before the end of the 4th of those minutes when Calvin Nojoroge came on to replace Chester.

Then 4 minutes 23 seconds into added time, the last chance of the afternoon came the visitors' way when Barrett's low left foot free kick from 25 yards to the right of middle was saved at the second attempt by Hopwood.

Then after an eventual total of 6 minutes 34 seconds of added time at the end, the final blast of referee Stevenson's whistle brought the game to an end and confirmed that The Ducks had dropped their first points of the season.

However, as a result of the rest of the top 4 either involved in the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round (or without a league game due to early exits) and results immediately below them in the table going their way, The Ducks moved a point clear at the top ahead of 3 teams (Real Bedford, Flackwell Heath and Berkhamsted) all level on 12 points, with both 5th placed Hadley and 6th placed Ware a further 2 points behind.

Meanwhile, North Leigh's first point of the season saw them move up 2 places to 19th, as the lowest placed of 3 teams with a single point but with the most inferior goal difference of the three.