Aylesbury all set for crucial encounter after mixed Easter weekend

​A 1-0 win at Waltham Abbey on Saturday was followed by a 2-0 home defeat to Thame United on Easter Monday, the latter moving ten points clear of the Ducks in the process.

Now, all eyes turn to Thursday’s game at Highworth Town, who sit four points and one position behind Jack Wells’ men but also have a game in hand and will be looking to leap-frog Aylesbury before the season is out and put them into the inter-step play-off zone that could result in relegation.

Just 48 hours later, Aylesbury will go to second-placed Biggleswade FC, before closing out the campaign at home to Ware on April 22 who are currently fighting to remain in the promotion play-off places.

So Wells knows just how vital Thursday’s game could be. Speaking after Monday’s loss, he said: “Monday’s loss was a huge blow to where we want to be and we now have a game on Thursday that I didn’t want to be as big as it’s become.

"It’s whether [the players] can handle that pressure because maybe at times I’ve given them too much praise.

"On Saturday I said how good we were and that we did all the right things and then two days later we looked like a completely different side.

"I want to see characters now. There are guys that have goodness knows how many appearances for this club and at this level that now need to stand up and be counted.”

In terms of how he approaches Thursday in a tactical sense, Wells admits he has big decisions to make.

He said: “We’ve managed the group really well as a staff because we’ve had a lot of injuries but people might not have seen them because we've rested players at times too.

"We’ve done our best with the tools we have to make sure we’re OK, but it’s a difficult one because there are probably five or six from today [Monday] that I could say deserve to keep their shirt based on bits they’ve done today and in the last few weeks.

"I need everyone to be at it, we can’t be carrying anyone on Thursday night.”