Petersfield Town 0 Aylesbury United 2: RELEGATION-threatened Aylesbury United picked up an invaluable victory against Petersfield Town on Saturday.

They were worthy winners as they battled throughout the 90 minutes to pick up the three points.

The Rams created plenty of chances to score but it proved to be just one of those days for them when, in previous weeks, the same shots would have found the back of the net.

The visitors had the first chance of the afternoon when Stacey Field pulled his shot across the face of goal and then Greg Williams curled a free kick over the crossbar.

At the other end, a corner from the left found Jamie Ford at the far post and he pulled the ball back to Joe Richardson. He shot towards goal and as the ball went into the six yard box Jordan Neal tried to back heel it home but it went straight to keeper Zaki Oualah.

Aylesbury took the lead on 21 minutes when Sonny French found some space on the right hand side. He cut into the penalty area and then fired off a shot which keeper Luke Eaton got down well to but the ball spun back over his body and rolled into the net.

Andy Todd then went close for Petersfield when he just headed over the top and Neal went close to scoring but his shot was deflected over the target by a defender.

Ford had to clear a shot off the line from Field before Todd went close to firing home an equaliser on 36 minutes. Aylesbury defender Jake Bewley inadvertently crossed the ball directly to the Rams striker as he tried to clear a throw in on the left and Todd’s first time volley hit the top of the crossbar.

In the closing minutes of the first half Richardson fired a low shot into the side netting and Lewis Hyde had to clear Vinnie Shrieves’ shot off the line and Reece Cameron blasted the rebound high and wide of the goal.

Aylesbury doubled their lead less than ten seconds into the second half with a stunning strike on goal. From the kick-off the ball was played back to French who hit his shot from the half way line and with Eaton caught on his penalty spot, the ball sailed past the Rams keeper and into the net.

Petersfield had the better of the chances on goal for the rest of the second half and Joe Briggs went close when he cut in from the right but his shot was deflected which took the power off of it and it rolled through to Oualah.

On 70 minutes Howard Neighbour found some space for the first time in the game after good build up play in midfield and he took the ball on into the penalty area but then blasted his shot over the crossbar.

Two minutes later Briggs crossed the ball from the right and Neighbour deflected it towards goal but Oualah blocked his shot with his outstretched foot and the ball bounced to safety.

Petersfield were handed a numerical advantage for the final 15 minutes of the match when Chris Crook pulled Todd back as he burst through on goal and the referee showed him his second yellow card of the match.

In the closing stages Petersfield had more good chances to score – Neighbour flicked on Neal’s cross from the left but it went straight into the keeper’s hands and Hyde’s through ball found Todd, whose shot from the edge of the area went straight at Oualah.

In injury time Sean Wain’s free kick was headed towards goal by Ford but the keeper made an easy save to his right.

Petersfield: Eaton, O Searle (Needham), Wain, Green (Giles – who was then subbed for Sackman), Hyde, Ford, Richardson, J Neal, Neighbour, Briggs, Todd. Subs not used: Buckland, Ender.