After impressing in the past 2 games, the Ducks travelled to second in the league Hitchin Town, looking for more points to ease the fight at the bottom of the table. Three changes to the starting line up, saw George Cleveland make his full debut, with Abdullah Jellal and Hayden Beadle also coming into the team; Frankie Bircham, Lee Stobbs and Sonny French the players making way and taking a seat in the bench.

In front of a bumper attendance of 946, the biggest crowd the Ducks have played in front of in many a year, the hosts dominated play from the outset, keeping the ball with ease and passing it around, probing for gaps in the Ducks defence. A diagonal pass by Blue Joy found Fernando Bell-Toxtle who played a low cross into the penalty area, which was met by Taylor Rhiney, who saw his volley well saved at the near post by Jack Hopwood.

The Ducks broke forward in the 10th minute, Rocko Tamplin doing well to combine with Cleveland, before the latter got a shot away from 15 yards, only to see it deflected and saved comfortably at his near post by Tylor McGregor. Nevertheless, it was a promising demonstration of what the team were capable of, given possession of the ball.

A throw in from skipper Ciaren Jones was laid off to Callum Nicolson by Rhiney, but the shot from 20 yards was comfortably tipped over the bar by Hopwood.

The Canaries did take the lead in the 18th minute; a corner by Nicolson was punched out by Hopwood from under his cross bar, but the loose ball fell to Josh Coldicott-Stevens, who side footed home from 12 yards. 1-0 Hitchin

Just before the half hour, another Nicolson corner was headed out by Jake Bewley, but only as far as Joy, who laid the ball off to Lewis Franklin, who saw his shot from 20 yards clear the bar. Franklin had another good chance seven minutes before the break; good work by Callum Kane on the left saw him find his team mate well placed in the penalty area, but he sliced his effort wide of the far post.

Two minutes later, Beadle spotted McGregor off his line and tried his luck from the centre circle, but the keeper retreated well and comfortably caught the ball to save himself from embarrassment.

The last chance of the first period fell to the hosts, when a deep cross from Will McNeill on the right was collected by Kane and recycled to Nicolson, who saw Hopwood make a good save from his shot.

Half-time: Hitchin 1-0 Aylesbury

Into the second half and the Ducks drew level somewhat against the run of play. Cleveland did well to control the ball in the middle of the park and break away from the challenge of Charlie Briggs, before setting up Tamplin 20 yards out on the right, whose shot sneaked inside the far post with McGregor left flat footed. 1-1

Thoughts of a taking points from the game were dashed just before the hour mark, when a throw in from the left was held up well by Rhiney, before setting the ball into the path of Franklin, who side footed into the far corner of the net. 2-1 Hitchin

Two minutes later, a short corner was crossed into the 6-yard box by Franklin, where Briggs rose highest, but couldn't keep his header down.

The points were sealed in the 63rd minute, a defence splitting ball from Jones into the path of Bell-Toxtle, was comfortably slotted past Hopwood from the edge of the penalty area. 3-1 Hitchin

It could have been worse for the Ducks, as Hopwood was forced into a good save two minutes later to keep out a header from Rhiney.

The introduction of French and Stobbs gave the Ducks a bit more positive intent for the last 25 minutes, with Stobbs flicking a ball into the path of Tamplin in the 68th minute, the young winger finding Cleveland 15 yards out, but his shot from 15 yards was saved.

In the 70th minute, Rhiney held off Kian Henry before passing to Coldicott-Stevens; he spotted McNeill overlapping on the right, whose shot was well saved by Hopwood.

Stobbs had a half chance with 15 minutes remaining, a long goal kick from Hopwood was headed backwards into his path by Jones but his shot from 25 yards was saved at the second attempt by McGregor.

The final chance fell to the Canaries in the 87th minute; McNeill did well on the right to wriggle free from the attentions of 3 Ducks defenders, before firing in a shot on the angle that Hopwood parried, with Jack Wood on hand to clear the danger ahead of Rhiney.

So, disappointment at Top Field, exacerbated by news that Enfield FC had cut the gap to 5 points after a stunning victory against League leaders Leighton Town, meaning there is still plenty of work to do in the final 6 matches to retain Step 4 status for another season. Next up in the quest is a visit to already relegated Rayners Lane next Saturday.