Manager Dave Tuttle made three changes for the trip to former landlords Leighton Town, Kamil Zielinski, Haziz Kone and Adrijus Lapacinskas coming into the starting line up in place of Kajetak Halatyn, Will St Clair Burton and Tom Cove, who rotated to the subs bench. After an immaculately respected Remembrance Commemoration, the game kicked off under leaden skies.

The hosts started well, former Duck Anthony Ball made ground down the right and crossed deep to the far post, where Sam King collected the ball and played it to full back Ben Ford, up in support, who saw Jack Hopwood save his deflected drive. A moment of alarm for the Ducks in the 5th minute after Lynton Goss outpaced Liam Batchelor Morgan on the left flank, before firing in a cross to the 6-yard box, which saw Charley Tuttle chest the ball behind Hopwood, but fortunately there wasn't enough pace on the ball to see it cross the line before Hopwood collected it.

Good work from Luqman Kassim on the left saw him beat Ball and pass to Zielinski on the edge of the penalty area; the striker turned Luke Tingey and shot from 18 yards but saw his effort rise too high to trouble home stopper Connor Hunt. On 22 minutes a Ben Stallard corner from the right was palmed out by Hunt, but only as far as Kian Henry, whose volley from 8 yards was sliced off target.

Lapacinskas did well on the right, getting past Ford before pulling the ball back to Zielinski 15 yards from goal, but his effort was well saved by Hunt.

The Ducks had a great chance to make their dominance of the half count 3 minutes before the break; Zielinski did well to hold the ball up on the halfway line before chipping a ball forward for Kassim to run onto. With just Hunt to beat, the Ducks man saw his shot from 20 yards well saved by the keeper. The last chance of the half fell to the hosts, as a deep corner from Ford was met by the head of Lee Cooksey, but he could only direct his header against the post, the rebound scrambled away by the defence.

Half-time: Leighton 0-0 Aylesbury

Hunt had the first chance of the second period, embarking on a mazy run across the pitch before firing in a right foot shot from 20 yards that lacked both power and precision to trouble Hopwood. Ben Farrell passed the ball wide to Toluwalope Ikuyinminu on the right; he cut inside Tuttle and shot from 25 yards, but his effort was deflected wide for a corner. Shortly afterwards, a long ball saw Goss make a strong aerial challenge on Hopwood for the ball, which the referee deemed to be a fair challenge, despite the protests of the Ducks keeper.

The ball was played forward to Zielinski on the half way line who swept it forward into the path of Lapacinskas. He outpaced Ford and fired in a shot from the corner of the penalty area, which saw Hunt pull off an outstanding save to touch the shot onto his far post, the rebound smuggled behind for a corner.

Before the corner could be taken, the referee showed Hopwood a red card, for foul and abusive language in the aftermath of the previous home attack, when he clearly felt he had been fouled. Zielinski took the responsibility of donning the keeper's jersey for the remainder of the game, with a couple of tactical changes being made soon after to change the shape of the team and bring on some fresh legs.

On the hour, a corner from Ford found Jack Sayell unmarked, but his header from 10 yards was comfortably caught by the stand in keeper. However, the Ducks back line couldn't hold out for much longer, in the 61st minute a cross from the left by Goss looped up off a defender's leg and was met by Emmanuel Dahie at the far post to bury the ball into the corner of the net. 1-0 Leighton

Two minutes later and a loose pass in midfield by St Clair Burton, on as a substitute, was picked up by Goss who passed wide to Ikuyinminu, who saw his shot saved by the feet of Zielinski. In the 73rd minute King beat the offside trap on the left and pulled the ball back to Goss, who moved the ball wide to Ikuyinminu, but his shot was wide of goal.

Despite defending well and having their own promising moves going forward, the Ducks conceded a killer second goal as the clock ticked into added on time; King collected the ball and stepped inside the challenge of Batchelor-Morgan before crashing a shot into the roof of the net from 15 yards, giving Zielinski no chance of a save. 2-0 Leighton

So, a disappointing defeat, but the result doesn't tell the tale of a match that was turned by the sending off of Hopwood; the Ducks now await the result of the referee's report to see the extent of his suspension. The immediate concern is the first match in this season's Berks & Bucks Senior Cup, away at Windsor & Eton on Tuesday evening, we hope to see as many of you as possible for the game.