Manager Paul Batchelor made just one enforced change after the victory against Ware in the last outing; Finlay Reeves forced to miss the game due to the injury sustained late in the previous match, seeing a recall to the starting XI for Pow Raposo. There was a welcome return to the subs bench for Luke Martin after missing the last 4 games through injury.

After a cagey start, the Ducks took the lead with their first attack in the 7th minute; Rocko Tamplin found James Bone wide on the right, who skipped past Callum Taylor and crossed low towards the near post, where goalkeeper Lamar Joseph-Johnson got his body behind the ball, but saw it rebound off his knees to Tamplin who had made his way into the penalty area; he hit a firm left foot shot from 12 yards intro the top corner. 1-0 Aylesbury

After starting really well, giving Taylor problems every time he had the ball, sadly Bone suffered a game ending injury in the 15th minute, turning his ankle over on the soft ground after blocking a clearance. After treatment, he was replaced by Martin, with Tamplin taking up the right-side berth previously held by Bone.

On 20 minutes the home side had a great chance to equalise, a long pass from Eddie Corbit found Lewis Taaffe wide on the left; he cut back inside Abdullah Jellal and fired a fierce shot from 20 yards, which Jack Hopwood did well to divert wide of the far post.

Taaffe had another good opportunity on the half hour when a long thrown from Isaac Pedro dropped to him 15 yards out, but his shot was sliced wide. Five minutes later, a ball played into the penalty area was cleared by Jack Wood; the hosts recycled the ball and it found Taylor 30 yards out on the left, who hit a powerful shot across goal and wide of the target.

A minute later Carlos Velasco made a good run to the byline and crossed to Steve Cawley 8 yards out; he volleyed goalwards, but Hopwood made an outstanding save at point-blank range.

Similar to the Ducks when Bone was forced off earlier, WGC suffered an injury blow when centre back Aiden Read was forced off with a suspected dislocated shoulder after a foul by Jake Bewley four minutes before half time, to be replaced by Tom Bruno. From the resulting free kick, played in by skipper Layne Eadie, Ethan Rookard found himself unmarked 6 yards out and planted a header past Hopwood to draw the scores level. 1-1

With the end of the half looming, Frankie Bircham crossed the ball into the penalty area, where it fell nicely to Fabian Garcia, but his shot was weak, allowing Joseph-Johnson to make an easy save.

Half-time: Welwyn Garden City 1-1 Aylesbury

Into the second half, a free kick into the penalty area was headed down to Cawley who was able to side foot home past Hopwood to give the hosts the lead. 2-1 Welwyn

Five minutes later Garcia collected the ball and made strides towards the penalty area, before shooting from 25 yards, but his effort was deflected wide by Corbit. From Bewley’s corner Bircham was first to the ball and stabbed it home from 6 yards to bring the Ducks back into the game. 2-2

Pow Raposo was substituted in the 64th minute, being replaced by new signing Henry Mott; however, as he jogged off the pitch, he was shown a yellow card by referee Stuart Lathan for not leaving the pitch at the nearest point.

After doing well to get back into the game, the Ducks conceded again in the 68th minute. Again, it was a set piece that was their downfall, delivered by Corbit and met by Panny Boxer at the far post, who headed down to Taaffe, who tapped in from inside the 6-yard box. 3-2 Welwyn

Thew hosts nearly extended their lead 5 minutes later; a cross was headed out to Corbit, who saw his shot deflected by Bewley, but it crashed against the far post and out to be cleared to safety by Wood. A similar outcome in the 80th minute; this time Bewley misplaced a pass in his own half, which was picked up by Taaffe; he cut into the penalty area and was closed down by Wood but was still able to get a shot away, but saw it rebound off the same post as the previous effort.

With two minutes remaining, a Lee Stobbs free kick was headed down by Wood and cleared back to Stobbs; his cross back into the penalty area was again met by Wood, but his effort was wide of the post. A minute later a ball forward to Tamplin saw him find Hayden Beadle on the overlap, who pulled the ball back into the penalty area, where it was headed out to Sonny French, but his volleyed effort from 12 yards was too high.

That was the end of the action, another defeat on the road for the Ducks, but more worryingly was the injury to Bone, after a promising start to his time with the Ducks. He was taken to hospital to determine the extent of the damage to his ankle, with the result awaited.

Next up is a true relegation 6 pointer, with the visit of Enfield FC next Saturday, who currently sit 5 points below the Ducks in 19th place in the division.