Following the home victory against Marlow in midweek, manager Paul Batchelor chose to stick with a winning team, the only changes coming on the subs bench, where the two Toms, Alexander and Silford were unavailable, but Finlay Reeves was welcomed back into the squad after missing the previous game through suspension, after his sending off at Leverstock Green.

On a heavy pitch, which had passed a mid-morning inspection, the Ducks started well, taking the initiative and passing the ball well. In the second minute, Ayo Akinbobola combined with Jake Bewley on the left and fired in a shot from 25 yards, but it was an easy claim for Hafed Al-Droubi in the home net. Three minutes later, Fabian Garcia chased the ball and won a tackle with home skipper Manny Folarin on the bye line, before finding Lee Stobbs on the edge of the penalty area, whose powerful shot from 20 yards was well saved by Al-Droubi at his left-hand post.

The first chance for the hosts came in the 9th minute; a corner from Carl Stewart was delivered to the far post where it was headed out by Jack Wood; the ball fell kindly for Dan Vincent on the edge of the area, but his volley was wild, flying high and wide of the target.

On the quarter hour, Garcia crossed from the left to Akinbobola, but his effort from 10 yards was wide of the far post.

The Ducks took the lead their early pressure deserved in the 17th minute; again good work from Garcia on the left saw him chase the ball into the corner, before checking back and laying the ball into the path of Bewley; he hit a looping cross which was headed down, falling to Akinbobola, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net from 10 yards to score his second goal in two games. 1-0 Northwood

Just before the half-hour another deep corner from Stewart was headed down by centre back Gabe Cuthbert, but he found Stobbs in the right place to clear the ball from on the goal line.

The Ducks made a change on 33 minutes, Reeves sent on the replace goal scorer Akinbobola. Two minutes after, Reece Cameron found Bewley on the left, who crossed to Stobbs, but his stabbed shot was well cleared for a corner by Harry McKenna. Just before the break, Rocko Tamplin did well on the left, before finding Sonny French in the centre of the pitch, who saw his left foot shot from 30 yards well saved by Al-Droubi.

Half-time: Northwood 0-1 Aylesbury

Into the second half and the Ducks started as they had left the first half; Cameron found Stobbs wide on the right who played the ball to Liam Batchelor-Morgan up in support; he passed the ball inside to Tamplin, who saw his goal bound effort from 8 yards blocked and cleared.

On 69 minutes, a ball forward by Bewley was flicked on by Cameron into the path of Reeves; as the defence retreated he made good ground before hitting a curling shot from 25 yards which had Al-Droubi beaten, but rebounded off the inside of the far post, across the goal and out for a goal kick. So close!

With 16 minutes remaining, Cameron picked up a loose clearance in the centre circle and spotting Al-Droubi off his line tried an audacious shot, but it sailed just wide of the goal as the keeper hurriedly back pedalled. Shortly afterwards, Tamplin was fouled by substitute Jon-Jo Bates 25 yards out. Bewley stepped up to take the free kick, but unlike Wednesday evening's opening goal, this time his effort couldn't beat the defensive wall.

In the 80th minute, a Stobbs corner was headed goalwards by Cameron, but his effort was cleared off the line. Three minutes later, a long ball forward was well controlled by Tamplin, who then found Stobbs who fired in a shot from 15 yards, which was wide of the near post.

Despite dominating the game, there was always the worry that the Ducks could be vulnerable to a breakaway goal, but those fears were eased with 2 minutes remaining. A fantastic through ball from Garcia saw Stobbs take the ball down well, advance into the penalty area and fire a shot past Al-Droubi from an acute angle to double the lead and secure the points. 2-0 Aylesbury

In the final minute of added on time, Northwood had probably their best chance of the game; a deep cross from the left by Reece Price-Placid was collected by Ademide Baruwa 15 yards from goal, but with just Hopwood to beat, he blazed his shot over the bar and into the graveyard behind the goal.

A routine win for the Ducks, against it has to be said, not the strongest of opposition in a struggling Northwood side; 11 points gained since Batchelor took charge 8 games ago, compared to 9 points in the previous 11. A definite upturn in fortunes since the change of management, but it is only a start, with a tough assignment next Saturday, a visit to Sharpenhoe Rd to face 3rd placed Barton Rovers, although they go into the game next week after a surprising 3 - 0 defeat at London Lions today.