After arguably the best performance of the season so far, a 3-0 win against Ware in the previous match, Dave Tuttle made just one change to the line up, with Luqman Kassim replacing Kwai March-Brown, who was still feeling the effects of a hamstring strain suffered in that match.

The hosts start well, a defensive header from Jake Bewley fell to Sam Coombes 20 yards from goal, but his snapshot flew wide of Jack Hopwood's left-hand post.

A match defining moment came as early as the 6th minute, when a cross from the left from Luke Clark was met by a glancing header by Ben Wyss with Hopwood challenging. As a result of the collision between the two, the Ducks stopper sustained a serious looking injury to his left ankle, which left him needing a sustained period of treatment before he was strapped up and able to continue. It was clear though that he was struggling to put any weight on the foot and his mobility and kicking was clearly hampered, but with no substitute keeper on the bench, he bravely continued.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 19th minute. A free kick rebounded to Clark, who crossed into the 6-yard box; Hopwood attempted to claim the ball, but couldn't jump high enough to reach it, leaving Callum Taylor with a simple header from close range to open the scoring. 1-0 Enfield

The Ducks had a great opportunity to draw level four minutes later, when an attempted back pass to Matt Hurley was intercepted by Kassim, who had a clear run on goal; keeper George Edgeworth was quickly off his line and blocked the shot from the edge of the penalty area, when the Aylesbury man should have done better.

On the half hour, Kamil Zielinski did well to hold the ball up on the by-line and played a pass to Ben Stallard on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot was claimed at the second opportunity by Edgeworth.

From the next attack Enfield extended their lead; the ball fell to Kieran Southgate 25 yards from goal, who hit a powerful shot that Hopwood tried manfully to reach, but hampered by his injury he could only get fingertips to it, and wasn't able to prevent the goal. 2-0 Enfield

Just a minute later and Hopwood made a fine save to deny Wyss who cut in from the right and sent in a shot from 25 yards, which the Ducks stopper was able to push around the post for a corner. Ben Peters did well in midfield before teeing up Will St Clair Burton, who advanced and shot from 30 yards, but saw his shot saved by Edgeworth.

In the 37th minute, a ball forward was missed by Jack Wood, the ball running through to Wyss, but Bewley made a fine challenge as he shot from 18 yards, with the effort going wide of target.

As the half entered into the substantial added on time caused by the treatment to Hopwood, Enfield scored what appeared to be a decisive 3rd goal. A corner from the right was initially pushed out by Hopwood, but in the scramble, it was touched home by Myles John. 3-0 Enfield

Half-time: Enfield 3-0 Aylesbury

The Ducks made a great start to the second half, scoring within 11 seconds of the restart. A ball forward by Bewley was met by a weak header by Hurley, allowing Kassim to advance towards the penalty area and, unlike his chance in the first half, he was clinical, lobbing Edgeworth from 25 yards to reduce the arrears. 1-3

Just past the hour, Haziz Kone found Kassim wide on the left, who stepped inside and fired in a shot from 30 yards, which Edgeworth allowed through his grasps to cut the deficit to one goal and bring the Ducks back into the game. 2-3

In the 67th minute a cross by Clark caused confusion between Hopwood and Charley Tuttle, the ball almost falling to Wyss, before reaching Southgate, whose weak shot was cleared off the line by Wood.

On 69 minutes, a cross from Clark was headed out to Southgate who sent a shot from 25 yards straight at Hopwood, who made a comfortable save.

The next attack saw the Ducks have a great chance to complete the comeback; Kone found Kassim wide on the left, who crossed deep to Zielinski at the far post, but his headed effort went across goal and out for a goal kick.

An attacking triple substitution by Dave Tuttle saw Marsh-Brown, Sonny French and Josh Morrison enter the fray in an attempt to get the Ducks back on terms. Despite this, it was the hosts who went closest to scoring; with 15 minutes left to play, Wyss beat Kone on the right and pulled the ball back to Joni Vukaj, but his shot from 20 yards was narrowly wide.

With 9 minutes to play, a free kick taken by Taylor found Southgate, who turned in the penalty area and laid the ball back to John; he made ground into the penalty area and hit a shot which rebounded off the foot of the near post to Clark, whose shot was over the crossbar.

On 88 minutes, a ball out of defence to Kassim saw the Ducks player slip, allowing Wyss to advance into the penalty area, but saw his shot well saved by Hopwood. In the final minute, Zielinski passed wide to Kassim, who played a fine ball low into the 6-yard box towards Morrison, but as he shaped to shoot, Taylor was on hand to clear the danger.

That was the final action of the game, one which was undoubtedly shaped by the injury to Hopwood. A lacklustre first half display was backed up by a much better performance in the second half, when the Ducks could and perhaps should have returned home with a share of the points. Next up is the second meeting this season with Biggleswade FC at the Meadow next Saturday.