(Ryman Premier League) 2nd May 1998

Enfield (0) 2 Roudette (OG) 60; Darlington 90
Aylesbury(1) 1 Howell 15

It was oh, so close at Southbury Road today, as Aylesbury and their ducks nearly threw away their Ryman Premier League status on the back of two giveaway goals. Aylesbury went into this afternoon's game, knowing that if Yeading and Bishop's Stortford won and they were defeated, it would be they who would go down. As events transpired, Enfield completed their part of the deal, leaving Yeading and Bishop's Stortford to decide the Ducks fate...

The social club conversation was interesting! Two Aylesbury supporters were posing the question to all those present: 'who do you want relegated - Stortford or us?' Did they really have to ask? Joking aside, previous meetings between the clubs both on and off the pitch have led to this rivalry with the boys in green, not exactly helped by ex-E John Bailey's antics at their ground in recent years.

Aylesbury were helped in their quest for Premier survival by an early strike from Howell. Spurred on by a small, yet vociferous band of supporters, Aylesbury looked reasonably content to take the chances that came their way, and contained Enfield to two good chances, namely Steve Terry's turn and shot from the that cannoned off the bar, and then Darlington's testing of Andy Lomas who saved when it looked as if an equaliser was on the cards.

The second half kicked off late after the referee cried off due to a calf strain. The news for Aylesbury looked good, with both Yeading and Stortford said to be losing. Enfield upped the tempo for the last 45 minutes of the season, and yet it took another, ANOTHER brace of flukey goals to turn this game around. First Roudette did what he should have been doing in the other half, slicing into his own goal with some aplomb, and then, after some intense pressure Lomas got caught with his shorts down - trying to control the ball from a back pass and then clear upfield. Of course, after Tuesday's game, Enfield's forwards have realised the advantage that can be gained from pressurising the keeper. Darlington had a lot more time to control the ball and then put it away because Lomas was by now prone on the deck and obviously nursing more than wounded pride.

So Aylesbury were left to await the final scores from around the league. Yeading and Stortford had by now equalised in their respective games. The final whistles went, and Yeading were doomed for the drop, due to their inferior goal difference. With Kingstonian wrapping up the league two days earlier, all promotion and relegation issues are now decided